Bad Medicine
by foodaddict
Summary: He makes her nauseous and sweaty from being nauseous, apparently. :D But she's just what the doctor ordered for him. InuKag, some mature scenes...hehe. :D UNDER REVISION!
1. You Make Me Sick

**Okay, so I'm revising **_**Bad Medicine.**_** I hit a roadblock in Chapter 13 partly due to a review that got me thinking and partly due to my own muses, who refuse to help me translate my ideas into an update, even if they do provide inspiration. Perhaps it's because my writing style has changed since I started writing this, so for the sake of progress I'm doing revisions on every chapter. I still appreciate feedback very much, and I'm saving the original copies of the chapters in case you prefer the old one, but it's pretty much a whole lot of revisions right now. Some scenes have to go (as well as some characters), but it's still basically the story I had planned out in my mind, so don't worry.**

**Thank you for your support, and please bear with me. Muses can be unreasonable beings.**

**Author's Note:** There's sex in this chapter and some others, foul language later on as well as violence. :D I really would appreciate reviews and constructive criticism. Nobody likes flames, right:D

Chapter 1

You Make Me Sick

Irritably, Kagome Higurashi tapped a newly-manicured finger on the meticulously polished surface of her father's desk. It was past ten o'clock in the evening already and she had a class at seven thirty sharp. If she was going to do the damn report, she needed the data he had promised he was going to let his staff collect in about—oh—nine hours. That included sleeping, eating, and shower time.

_The number you have dialed is either unattended or out of coverage area. Please try your call later._

Gritting her teeth, she slammed the cordless back into its holder and leaned back into the plush leather chair, considering her options. She _could_ write the report without the quantitative data and make it completely thematic—more of a concept paper. Their professor would probably skin her hide about taking the class for granted, not listening to instructions, and being a terrible student, but at least she would pass. She had a lot of faith in her capacity as a student, and regardless of the beating her ego would take, at least she'd pass.

That lazy pig of a hanyou that she just _had_ to end up being partners with could do whatever he pleased. After all, what could you expect from Inuyasha Takahashi anyway? He was the spare of the affluent Takahashi family—a family that already had ties deep in the financial and political world when Inuyasha's father inherited. At present, thanks to his efforts and that of Inuyasha's older brother, the family's influence was now reaching into the media and arts, and Kagome would not be surprised if the rumors about the family buying up the local steel industries proved to be true. With achievers and go-getters like that taking care of all the work, who needed Inuyasha to be serious in his Business Administration course anyway?

_Hmmm...let's see...um...__**me?**_

She sighed, telling herself to be calm and reasonable. Maybe he wasn't picking up because he was too busy skinning hides himself. She'd caught him giving someone a talking-to on his cell phone more than once since she'd met him. Maybe his staff hadn't acquired the information they needed yet. She just had to reach him somehow, tell him very rationally that she needed the data as soon as possible if she was going to write a decent report for tomorrow. No matter that she was probably going to have to jump on the caffeine circuit she'd worked so hard to avoid since sophomore year of high school.

_Never mind that, Kagome_, she told herself soothingly. After all, she was Kagome Higurashi. She was smart and well-respected in her year for being responsible and level-headed. She had a temper, yes, but nobody really got it to come out. The last time she'd yelled at someone had been in her third year of high school. She was grown up and self-possessed now, and she was _not_ going to scream at Inuyasha because he wasn't taking her calls.

Nickleback blasted into her ears and she held the phone a few inches away from her ear. Damn him and his ring-back selections. He couldn't be content with the classic dial-tone and opted to deafen his callers with—

"_Ah!"_

She froze. That definitely wasn't part of _How You Remind Me_. She heard the clatter of something hitting a solid surface—the cell phone falling to the floor?—and other sounds that were all too clear despite—

"_Inuya—"_ A shrill scream ripped through from the other line and Kagome swallowed, horrified and more than a great deal embarrassed by what she was unintentionally privy to. If she thought the girl was in any sort of pain or was being harmed in any way, she'd probably have been punching the emergency numbers just then. But as it was—

A male voice she knew all too well hummed through the receiver.

"Slow down...we've got all night..."

"Please...I..."

Kagome flushed a shade of scarlet that was deeper than the turtleneck she wore. The girl was begging him! It was awful and embarrassing and degrading to beg for something like _that_, especially if you begged a hanyou like Inuyasha! She refused to acknowledge the appalling urge to press her ear closer to the phone and at least get an idea as to _why_ the girl would beg.

Or scream the way that she was doing now—shrieking her heart out so much that it pierced Kagome's ears painfully despite the distance.

Disgust roiled up in her stomach and she slammed the phone down, feeling a surge of anger not only with herself but with the bastard she'd just eavesdropped on.

How _dare_ he cavort with another girl—no, she thought with another hot flush that made her itch to take her sweater off—how dare he cavort with _a_ girl on the eve of the deadline for their report and leave her to work on it by herself! He had been the one to insist that she leave the quantitative data problem to him. She had suggested visiting a few companies and doing some new surveys as well as looking up old studies, but _no_, she had relied on him to get it done! She had believed him that afternoon when he'd assured her that he would have what they needed done before the deadline!

_Fine_, she thought as her anger hardened into resolve and she picked up the abused phone once more. _I'll do _my _damn report, but let's see if you'll get away with being worthless this time, Inuyasha!_

The pleasant dial-tone filled her ears for a few brief moments before it cut abruptly and a smooth, deep male voice filled her ear.

"Takahashi, Sesshoumaru speaking," came the immediate introduction. "May I inquire as to the nature of this call?"

Kagome felt her heart skip an apprehensive beat. She had never met Inuyasha's brother Sesshoumaru before, but she had heard as much gossip about him as she had Inuyasha. Not to mention he appeared now and then on the society pages with this or that singer or actress and he had graduated from their university at the top of his class a few years ago. She had not expected him to be the one to pick up—weren't calls screened before being directed to the members of the family? And wouldn't he be embroiled in some late-night-top-secret-business/political meeting with the Prime Minister or some other big-shot? What the hell happened to secretaries, receptionists, personal assistants, chiefs-of-staff—

_Right. Get a hold of yourself, Kagome._

Sesshomaru glanced idly at the Ormolu clock sitting impressively on the mantelpiece of his study. The phone had rung three times already, telling him that all the staff was either asleep or otherwise occupied. He had been anticipating a call from his father and some friends and had instructed the secretaries not to screen after nine. It was a private line, in any case, and only people that he and Inuyasha knew were aware of it, so there was no chance of him speaking to anyone that had no business to deal with them personally.

"Good evening," she said hesitantly—then more firmly, reminding herself that she _could_ be professional, grown-up, and mature about this—"please excuse me for disturbing you at so late an hour. My name is Kagome Higurashi and I would like to speak with Inuyasha Takahashi, if it were possible."

Sesshomaru had straightened in his seat at the meek girl's voice and had been prepared to redirect the call to one of the secretaries, expecting to hear another lovesick, stammered inquiry as to Inuyasha's whereabouts/welfare/whatever. But at the suddenly composed words that had followed the timid greeting, he had paused.

And been intrigued. Girls who sounded like _that_ did not call up and ask for Inuyasha. They were either overly friendly or overly shy and they went around a lot of bushes before getting to the point. They did _not_ call up at quarter to eleven at night and sound as though they were calling to remind Inuyasha that yet another one of his checks had bounced for this or that account or that he was scheduled to meet with the university's guidance counselor regarding his "excessively deviant" behavior.

But to bluntly ask, "Why?" was not Sesshoumaru's style. As was interfering in his younger brother's affairs—particularly those that did not have to do with business and the family.

"I'm afraid Inuyasha is not available right now, Miss Higurashi." His reply was automatic and his stature lessened in her eyes somewhat. He probably knew what Inuyasha was up to and didn't mind it in the least. That soured her opinion of him for some strange reason, but she listened in polite silence as he continued with a pointed, "If you would call in the morning...?"

"Of course," she said coolly, trying to keep the snap out of her voice. If his brother was sticking up for his awful conduct, she wasn't going to say anything about it. Except perhaps—

"I'm sorry to press you, Mr. Takahashi, but could I leave a message?"

Though he was pleased that she was giving him a little more insight as to her business with his brother—and as to who _she_ was, for that matter—he murmured a carefully noncommittal assent—"Certainly."

Bracing herself for a little daring—a _lot_ of it, actually, considering who she was talking to—she opened herself up to her anger and let it drown out the intimidation.

"Please tell your brother that if _they_ have all night to take care of business," she said with as much icy contempt as she could muster, "I don't. I'm writing the report without him and I wish him luck in coming up with his own by tomorrow morning. Good night."

And with as much dignity as she could, the coward in her hung up.

The line went dead and Sesshomaru stifled his initial annoyance. There had been a lot behind what she had just said, and he wasn't simply referring to her displeasure with his brother. He put down the phone and stood up, a small, rare smile tugging at his mouth as he envisioned this Kagome Higurashi and her connection to his brother.

He checked the clock again and walked out of the study, still smiling.

**Not much was changed in this chapter, so I'm posting it up quickly. I'm going over Chapter 2 and 3 (**_**again**_**) and considering condensing them. I'm still consulting my betas on that score, so wait a little while longer, yes? **

**And thank you very much. **


	2. Mornings After

**Disclaimer: **Haha, I forgot to put it in the last chapter—well, it's here now. :D I don't own Kagome and Inuyasha or anyone else from the series (ah...but if I did...evil laugh).

**Author's Note:** Thank you for the reviews:D I really appreciate them and I hope this chapter will be better than the last. :D

_lyn:_ Yeah, doesn't she:D

_yashagirl_: Haha, sorry! XP I didn't want to give too much immediate insight on what Kagome's feeling because she currently doesn't know either. :D Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. :D

_Rinstwin_: Thank you so much:D I hope you'll read the rest of it and tell me what you think. :D

_Kawaii-CherryWolf_: I hope you'll find this next chapter interesting as well:D

_gillianraine_: Haha, thanks:D Yeah, the other fic was a bit shaky...I'm considering deleting it until it's more well-formed. :D In any case, don't worry. :D I have a psych background in the family...I used to read the books for fun when I had nothing to do, haha:D It's helping me cope with college right now. :D Anyway, sorry if I turned this into a getting-to-know-you session. :D Enjoy this next chapter. :D

Chapter 2

Mornings After

Life was _good._

He took in the scent of the youkai who lay in bed with him and the musky smell of their sex and nearly sighed with contentment. It was how things should always be—simple and uncomplicated. No sticky, confusing love shit that made him want to hold his head and howl with frustration and agony. Nope...things got sticky in the casual sex joint all right, but it never went past the physical.

_Thank God._

Lifting his face from where it lay nuzzled between her breasts, he yawned and checked the time. It was early—_really_ early. It was past one o'clock in the morning of the next day. Something stirred in his memory as he lifted himself up, stretching and testing his muscles.

"Mmm...you know how I get when you do that."

His pensive gaze shot to his current bed partner and it hardened somewhat, though his voice was coated with amusement.

"I do," he agreed. "All women have the same reaction."

"Can we help it?" she purred, sliding her parted legs even further apart and giving him a look that all but screamed: _Park your vehicle here._

He bent down and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "No, you can't," he replied. His ego didn't need that little buffering. Countless of women—human, youkai, and hanyou alike had never found him lacking in _that_ department. But he couldn't stifle the disbelief that welled up in him at the fact that she wasn't the least bit miffed that he had all but said she was common to him.

She squirmed eagerly beneath him, her hands sliding immediately to his hips. Her dark eyes raked the expanse of his lean, muscular torso and followed it all the way down to the part of him that made her ache all over. It was mere inches from her and she strained helplessly against him, wrapping her legs around his hips. The weight of his own legs against her was delicious and she felt her frenzy build at being so trapped and dominated by him. He was only half demon, but he could be full for all she cared. He had inherited enough of his father's power to make him the best she had ever lain with.

When he didn't move, she looked up him and found him looking down at her, his silver hair streaming down to tickle her face, her chest. His strong arms held himself away from her and she released his hips to slide her hands up them.

"Inuyasha?" she mouthed seductively.

"Hmmm?" he asked absently, his deep amber eyes focusing on hers, and she realized with a pang of anger that he had not been lustfully contemplating their coupling after all. She reached up and tugged angrily at the velvety ears that protruded from his magnificent mane, baring her teeth at him in frustration.

He laughed, but the buzzing in his brain was far stronger than any other vibrating parts of his anatomy. He had to remember what he was supposed to be doing.

"No," he said without a trace of regret, disentangling himself from her.

"Where are you going?" she demanded as he swung his legs off the bed.

"Doesn't matter," he evaded calmly. "You're not coming along anyway."

She lunged at him and he managed to slide away from her claws, but his foot slipped on some of the silk sheets that had been displaced during their romp and he found himself plummeting to the floor. She followed him down even as his arm shot out to stop his descent, and he heaved himself away from her and onto his feet. She crashed into the floor with enough force to make him wince, but his eyes settled on something else which lay several inches from where he had been about to fall.

He bent and picked up his cell phone, grimacing as he noticed the chip on the screen.

_Sixteen missed calls_, he read on the call register, and he nearly burst out laughing when he saw who it had been. Then as though Kagome Higurashi herself had appeared at his side and conked him on the head as she so liked doing every now and then, he remembered what he was supposed to do. He pressed the down button and his brows shot up.

_One call received._ He paused, staring at the phone as he sifted through his memory. He had checked his call registry before he had tumbled into bed with—what was her name?—and he hadn't been drunk enough not to remember that he hadn't received any call. The alcohol was practically out of his system now, after four or five hours of vigorous exercise and tons of sweat. Besides, the call had been answered at nearly eleven o'clock. As far as he was concerned, he was still occupied then.

He hit the details option and his eyes widened as he read the name of the caller he had accepted.

_Kagome Higurashi._

"No way," he murmured in disbelief.

_Try to remember, man, come on!_ _You were guzzling Bacardi with---what the fuck _is _her name!—and the maids were trying to listen in when you—but the cell phone was on the bedside drawer!_

He then noticed the other items on the floor—his alarm clock, keys, cigarettes—and sighed. What's-her-name had probably knocked them all off when she'd been flailing about in ecstasy.

And she just had to do that when Kagome Higurashi—of all people—had been calling.

_Jeez. A lot of help keypad-locking does if it doesn't remain locked when someone's calling._

Rubbing his neck wearily, he walked over to the door and pressed the buzzer on the wall. There was silence for a few seconds before a sleepy voice chimed, "Yes, sir?"

"Wake Myouga and get someone up here to clean up," he said briskly. His eyes fell on his bedmate, who was glowering at him ferociously. There was a split on her lip that she was nursing. "And tell the driver to be ready to escort someone in a few minutes."

"You're letting me _leave_?" she burst out in shock. "_Now?_ _At this time of night?_"

He crossed his arms and leaned casually onto the wall.

"If you continue staring at me like that, yes."

"It's your fault! You don't want to fuck anymore!"

He grinned suddenly, his smile every bit the youkai that was in him.

"You're wrong there," he said hotly, giving her body a long good look. "I always want to fuck. But right now I've got something important to do. You can either accept that, lie in bed like a good bitch and wait for me to get back, or you can try to fight me and go home a bloodied mess. What'll it be?"

Without a second's delay she was clambering onto the bed and tucking the sheets around her quickly, like some chaste virgin ensconcing herself away from an amorous lover. He nearly burst out laughing at the hilarity of it. He gave her a nod of approval and walked over to pick up his clothes and dress. There was a lot to do.

---

When he stalked into the living room a few minutes later, he nearly jumped a foot at the sight of his older brother.

"What are you doing up so late?" he asked, unable to keep the snarl out of his voice. He didn't like being caught unawares—particularly by his ever-superior sibling.

Sipping his whisky, Sesshomaru gave his younger brother an assessing look that was not uncommon but nonetheless freaky in its intensity. Seated by the blazing fire with his long legs propped up on the ottoman, he looked every bit the billionaire despite his relaxed stance, his Italian leather shoes and Armani suit only adding to his impressive, imposing countenance.

"I'd ask the same of you," he replied at last. "I thought you'd retired for the night."

"I remembered something," Inuyasha said stiffly, still trying to decide whether or not Sesshomaru was insulting him with his last sentence.

"And?"

He bristled. "I'm going to see to it as soon as Myouga gets here."

Only a slight tightening of Sesshomaru's mouth gave away what he thought about Inuyasha's dependence on Myouga, but he gestured to the seat in front of him.

"In that case," he said simply, "you might as well sit down and have a drink with me."

Inuyasha then realized that he'd been standing and hadn't advanced a single step into the room since he'd spotted his brother—like he were no different from the servants waiting to be acknowledged or spoken to. Gritting his teeth at how he had unconsciously waited for Sesshomaru to tell him to sit down and have a drink, he trumped over to the proffered seat and dumped himself into it.

"Cutty Sark?" he snapped at his sibling.

"Unless you prefer Southern Comfort," Sesshomaru said with a lift of his brows, referring to their mother's favorite drink. When Inuyasha merely glowered at him he went on. "Or perhaps you've imbibed and overindulged enough for one night?"

"Shut up."

"Milk then? Or hot chocolate?"

"I said, _shut up._"

"Coffee," he concluded. "There's some over at the drinking cabinet, if you're steady enough to get some. Or would you like to wait for Myouga to do that for you as well?"

Inuyasha surged to his feet and then checked the impulse to attack his brother. Not only would Sesshomaru once more prove that he _did_ have some power over his actions, but he'd probably be too thrashed to work on the report by the time the fight would be over.

"I've got more important things to do," he said brusquely, turning from his brother. "And they require more of my time than you."

Inwardly, Sesshomaru graced his brother with approval at his restraint, but he prodded him nonetheless.

"There's always time. I'm sure it can wait."

Inuyasha just started walking away.

Sesshomaru quirked a brow, seeing the opportunity to strike the instant it appeared. "So you _don't_ have all night to take care of business then? You have to see to things _now_?"

At his phrasing, Inuyasha's head snapped around viciously.

"What did you say?" he growled, his eyes blazing.

Sesshomaru did not reply, merely sipping his whisky.

Forgetting about the report issue completely, he turned and began stalking towards his brother, his claws already poised to strike.

"Have you been _spying_ on me?" he hissed. "Jeez, big bro, I knew you'd have to be a perv with your zero-percent sex life, but can't you just pick up some porn?"

Hiding his smile, Sesshomaru set down his glass and stood up, giving Inuyasha a level look.

"Some advice, little brother," he said with a stab of superiority despite the gentleness of his tone. He moved closer, impervious to the threat of Inuyasha's claws. "Never keep a lady waiting."

And before Inuyasha could register just what the hell _that_ meant Sesshomaru was gone. Scowling, he walked out of the living room and slammed the door shut, barreling straight into Myouga on his second step out.

"M'lord!" his old servant piped up, taking in his ominous expression and rightly taking a step backwards. "I'm sorry it took me so long, but I came as quickly as I could! It must be an emergency if you had to wake me up so inconveniently in the early morning—"

"I want you to have the secretaries write out a report on this," he said, ignoring the impertinence of Myouga's words and shoving a paper in the small servant's face. "I need it done by morning. I'll fix the draft myself. Tell them to come to my study once they've been wakened."

"Yes, my lord, but it will take a while since those fools are so lazy—"

"Get it done, Myouga," Inuyasha ground out.

"Yes, my lord. I'll see to it at once, my lord."

Satisfied with the unconditional assent he preferred, Inuyasha checked his watch. It was a quarter to two already. His brother's words rang in his brain and he remembered the bitch that was waiting for him upstairs.

"While you're at it, bundle up whoever you'll find in my room and send her home," Inuyasha said with another twinge of irritation. Damn Sesshomaru and his double-meaning sentences. "I expect you'll have more trouble with that than waking the secretaries, so make sure you do it after you wake them." He remembered how pissed she was at his not wanting to fuck and concern for his old servant made him add, "Bring Jaken or anyone who can protect you, if you must."

Myouga sniffed at the mention of his household rival's name.

"I can do it by myself, my lord. Leave it to me."

"Good." He turned in clear dismissal and then stopped before turning back a mere inch. "Oh—and Myouga?"

"Yes, m'lord?" Myouga asked, staring at Inuyasha's careful expression with a great deal of apprehension.

"Get me some coffee."


	3. What's Ailing You Now?

**Disclaimer:** I actually don't disclaim. Haha! Whatcha gonna do? Report me to the mods? Sue my broke ass? Harharhar! _I dare you!_ ten minutes later Huh? Who's that?

From behind the door: Open up! You're under arrest!

o0

Er...on second thought, Inuyasha and Kagome are all yours, Takahashi. Hehe. ;D Please don't hurt me.

**Author's Note:** Thank you for the reviews! ;D I'm sorry this chapter is a bit dry, but I wrote it in haste because I've got a whole week of preliminaries to look forward to. Bear with me and I promise I'll come up with something better next time. ;D

_BlackRosethebloodangel_: Yeah, hehe. In his head he was thinking, "Why should I care what Sesshomaru thinks?" ;D Anyway, hope you like this chapter.

_KIgirls_: Thanks, I'm glad you like it so much! ;D Yeah, actually, I've given your idea some thought and...well, you'll have to keep on reading. :D Enjoy! ;D

_Kawaii-CherryWolf_: I'm mortally afraid you won't want me to continue after this chapter, but I'm hoping you'll read it and let me know what you think anyway. :D

_demonpriestess07_: Thanks, hehe! ;D I wrote it because my brother did that to me once—like his friends were all ragging on him for being such a prima donna and then when the two of us were alone he bossed me around like nothing happened. ;D sigh Here I go with getting-to-know-yous again. Sorry. :D Anyway, please tell me what you think about this chapter. ;D

_iNuYaShAsweet_: Thanks! ;D Well, they're together in this chapter but it's hardly how they should be ideally. :D Anyway, tell me what you think. ;D

_gillianraine_: Thank you! ;D Enjoy this next chapter, and if you don't let me know. ;D

Chapter 3

What's Ailing You Now?

Sunlight filtered into the hallway, bathing it with sharp, energizing light. It washed over the pristine white walls, hitting the countless announcements posted on the many bulletin boards, flashing blindingly on the glass panes of the doors. Next to one door, on one of the broad sofas meant for waiting students or visitors, a young woman was seated with her head bent over an open slide folder. Complete silence hung in the air and nothing but the potted plant next to her stirred, almost crackling with anticipation as it took in the good light.

"Kagome."

When she didn't look up he sighed and put his hands on his hips.

"Come on," he said with an exaggerated air of patience, shooting the back of her head a long-suffering look. "Not talking to me isn't going to help us get full marks, you know. We've still got to explain this damned thing."

Gritting his teeth to keep from crumpling the thick report in his right hand, he slid his left into her thick hair and hunkered down close, tugging her face up with more force than was necessary. Her head snapped up sharply and he stared at her as her brows knitted together over eyes that were completely shut.

_She's asleep._

He'd pictured moments like these in the past. They weren't always sweet or romantic—particularly when she was fighting with him or doing something he didn't like—but there was always a key theme. She was alone with him, she was asleep, and she was at his mercy. What he did to her when she was vulnerable changed a lot according to what he was feeling for her at the time, which was convenient. Reality, sadly, was not.

He sighed, wondering how worthwhile it would be if he picked out a fantasy and decided to actualize it now. God knew he'd had a few where they were in a deserted hallway. The demon in him was baring its teeth in anticipation, but the human part that was brooding tamped it down.

In the six years since they'd first met, they'd formed a strange relationship that he couldn't quite label despite his many attempts. He'd hated, he'd laughed at, he'd sneered at, and he'd insulted her. Instead of backing down or bending, she'd given everything back to him with equal heat. But he'd liked her for it. It hadn't been extraordinary, as there were a few girls he'd come across in his life that he'd liked with equal measure for sticking up to him...but nonetheless, she was one of those he found different.

And when the aches and longing had come, he hadn't really been surprised. After all, they had begun after he'd broken up with Kikyo—the one girl he'd ever taken seriously in his life. She'd moved away after graduation to gain some "focus" after—he shook his head to clear away the memories and took a deep breath as the familiar ache settled in his chest. What was important was that she had cut off all ties. He'd been in the dumps until he got into college and he'd heard Kagome was going to the same university.

He told himself he'd felt that jolt of lust because Kagome looked a lot like Kikyo and he was on the rebound. But three years had come and gone since then and the feeling wasn't going away. He'd tried washing it out of his system with a flood of other girls, gotten a hell of a schedule to avoid her for an entire semester, and had even considered switching schools to get away from her. When that hadn't worked he'd considered acting on his desires, particularly whenever she made him so mad all he wanted to do was break her, but thank God she'd always spoiled his mood by being so nice that the human side of him overcame the urge to pounce.

He was resigned to it, like some sickness that he couldn't rid himself of completely but that he could deal with, as long as he stayed in control.

Her mouth opened as she muttered something indistinguishable and he felt her warm breath fan over his face. His left hand tightened as he fought down the storm of need that was brewing in his gut, the fire that was consuming every nerve in his body. He wanted nothing more than to drive his tongue (for now at least...) into that hot, wet mouth, hear her sweet moan—

_Smack!_

He staggered backwards, clutching the left side of his face as his lust-fogged brain registered that

_She's awake._

"Good morning, Kagome," he ground out, glaring at her through a haze of red.

"Yeah, whatever, you jerk," Kagome hissed, shaking her stinging palm as her other hand went up to rub her sore scalp. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"A lot of things, apparently," he answered grimly, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. "Like how I'm such a jerk."

"Well, you _are_," Kagome said hotly, forgetting the fact that she had planned to be cool towards him and not give him the benefit of her anger. Her cheeks were still hot from the second she'd woken up and wanted to _snuggle_ against the warm body that was mere inches from hers. Snuggle! Like he was some sweet, boy-next-door type she'd known her whole life! And then she'd registered who that body belonged to and reality had pierced through her dreamy, sleepy senses. "What's up with you pulling my hair, for one?"

"I thought you were awake and you were ignoring me. We have important things to talk about, you know. Does 'our report' ring a bell?"

Kagome's face turned dangerously sweet and Inuyasha's eyes narrowed on the gleam in her eyes.

"That depends," she said with mock thoughtfulness. "Do the words, 'I _promise_ I'll have it done by tonight' sound familiar? Words like, 'Oh, the quantitative data that my staff has will be perfect for it'? Because 'our report' is in the same boat."

"Ringing up my promises already, are you? Well, you'll be happy to know that I kept my word."

"Sure you did! And I had to write a whole thematic report because I felt like doing it!"

One brow popped. "You wrote the report without quantitative data?"

She glared at him and then let out a frustrated hiss when she saw the report on the floor, where it had fallen when she'd sent Inuyasha stumbling back. She bent to pick it up, using the gesture as a chance to gather her self-control.

"I had to because I was dumb enough to _rely_ on someone," she said scathingly, dusting off the report and giving him the haughtiest look she could manage. "Don't worry, you don't have to share my grade. I'm submitting it under my name only."

"Well you can share _my_ grade," he said with a smirk, lifting the report he'd brought. "It's got all the concepts we discussed _and_ the quantitative data needed to back it up. I already put your name in with mine."

Her jaw dropped and her eyes narrowed to slits. "You wrote the report?"

"Well, you wouldn't stop calling me, so I figured I would give someone so devoted a break."

"You arrogant asshole, I was calling for the data! Give me that! Urgh—you probably screwed it all up! Remember that we agreed _I _would write the report because I'm better at it than you?" Her expression changed somehow as she browsed the introduction and succeeding chapters. Pausing at a particularly eloquent line, she shot him an assessing look. "Though this is good, it's weird. I'm convinced I'm better than you at writing reports."

"Yes, but _you_ don't have an army of professional, trained secretaries, do you? They write stuff like that all the time."

She threw the report at him.

"You let your _secretaries_ write the report! What kind of student _are_ you! I can't believe I got you as my partner! We're _not_ submitting this!"

He cringed at her piercing exclamations, his ears flattening against his head even as he glared back at her.

"Fine! So much for gratitude! You can submit that pitiful report and I'll just laugh when I graduate at the top of our class!"

"I can't believe you! How dare you think you'll graduate at the top when you're nothing but a dirty cheat!"

He growled. "Watch it, Kagome. I've been putting up with you sniping at me because we're partners and I need you to get high on this report. I'm not a cheat! Take it back or I swear I'll—"

"How _dare_ you threaten me when I'm being honest! You let your _secretaries_ write this report—"

"I let them write based on something _I_ drafted! It's different!"

"It's the same thing!"

"_It's different!_"

"_It's the same---_"

"I'm done arguing with you, you stubborn bitch!" he snarled, taking a threatening step towards her. "Now will you give up that report and submit this one with me, or do I just kick you off the top slot of honors?"

She seethed, torn between screaming in frustration and throwing a tearful tantrum. She'd been up _all night_ working on a doomed report, and he had the nerve to write a much better one! Then he went around laughing at her and forcing her to swallow her pride by reminding her of her grades.

Her grades.

They meant so much to her but were they worth _this_?

She sniffed. "Why didn't you tell me you were writing the report? I could've slept and spared myself the agony."

"It was almost 2 am when I started writing it," he said briskly, though he felt a skitter of unease down his spine when her voice sounded thick and—teary? "I saw your calls and remembered."

"2 am!" she gasped. "You mean you only saw my calls at 2 am! What were you—" She bit her tongue hard enough to make tears spring to her eyes when she remembered. Giving him a ferocious scowl, she looked away, her cheeks flooding with red.

"Now _that's_ something I wanted to talk about," he said with a grin, his good humor returning. "How much did you hear, exactly?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She crossed her arms and turned her face away when he sat down next to her.

"You're lying, Kagome," he said mildly, poking her flushed cheek teasingly.

"Hands off, you!" she snapped, slapping his hand away.

"How much did you hear?" he asked determinedly.

"Enough to leave me seriously disturbed!"

His eyes gleamed dangerously. "In what way?"

"What are you talking about!"

"What you heard left you disturbed in what way?"

She remembered how she'd wanted to press her ear against the phone. "Why are you asking me this!"

"Easy!" he laughed, more than a little bit interested in her evasiveness. "I was just wondering if that's why you're so determined to be a bitch today."

"Oh, so I'm a bitch, am I?"

"Kagome." He leaned forward suddenly and her breath caught as he pressed his forehead against hers, their noses touching. "You are a bitch." Before she could draw back and strike him, he cupped her nape and made her breath rush out again. "But that's not all of who you are."

He was just working away her anger. She knew it, and she tugged desperately at the strings of it even as the damned cowardly emotion fled to be replaced by unease and—anticipation? She willed herself to deny it, but he was so close that he just had to dip his head a little bit lower and their mouths would be touching. His breath was mingling with hers and the heat of his body was swirling into her. Never mind that she knew he was only using the effect he had to keep her from arguing with him again. She gulped.

"Gee, I'm so complimented," she said lamely. "Now get off me."

Kagome—hot and bothered. He'd accomplished it some other times in the past, but once again she was fighting it. He inhaled her arousal, steeled himself as the youkai in him devoured it and howled for more, and drew away.

"Will you submit this with me then?" But he already knew the answer.

"Fine," she grumbled, remembering what a jerk he was cooling the heat and dissipating the pressure roiling in her belly.

"Good," he said smugly, though he kept the gloating to a minimum, feeling generous towards her pride now that he'd managed to subdue her. "Mr. Kurosawa should be here any minute now."


	4. Toxic Niceness and Its Casualties

**Disclaimer**: Do you think this part of the chapter would change? Honestly? Like I could put anything else here...kidding. :D But honestly...

**Author's Note**: The thank-you-s:

_gillian-raine_: Thank you very much! ;D I'm glad you like how I write and I'm hoping you'll let me know when I'm starting to veer off in a direction you don't like. :D Enjoy the next chapter. :D

_jenfrog_: I like how they argue too. :D Thanks, and please let me know what you think of this chapter. :D

_demonpriestess07_: Thanks! ;D I hope this chapter is worth the wait—I was planning to make it longer, but time constraints—you know how it goes. :D

_moonwicca staralinga_: Thank you. ;D I hope your opinion of this will progress after this chapter. :D

_Nomadgirl66_: Okay, here's the update. :D Do I get to hear what you think of this story now? Hehe...kidding. :D

_Kawaii-CherryWolf_: Here's the update, and thanks! ;D Well, you'll see what his being a cheat has to do with anything later, so don't worry, hehe. :D Hope you enjoy this chapter. ;D

_aya-kun_: Thanks! ;D Wait 'til you see how they fight later on. :D

_death_: Thank you very much! ;D I hope you'll read and enjoy this chapter as well. ;D

_iNuYaShAsweet_: Thanks, haha! ;D I know, isn't he? ;D Though I do wonder...you said, "He's so arrogant...and I" and left me hanging! ;D Anyway, I really hope you like this chapter! ;D

Now, onto the story:D This has a second part, so if you find it too short don't wonder. :D Hehe...hope you guys enjoy this one. :D Whether you do or don't, I hope you'll let me know, but please—be nice. ;D

Chapter 4

Toxic Niceness And Its Casualties

"What's the occasion?" Sango asked curiously as Kagome turned aside from their usual route and approached the nearest flower shop to the university.

"There is none, actually," Kagome answered, giving her an apologetic smile after a glance at her watch. It was half past five already, and Sango had a date in less than an hour. It went without saying that one hour was not enough for her to get glamorous—which she wanted to be for that instance, given that her date was "someone's" cousin and Sango was dead set on impressing Cuz so much that "someone" would hear about it. "I just wanted to bring home some carnations for my mother. She's been really busy lately since she got into that charity org and flowers always make her feel wonderful."

"Tough job running a temple, raising kids, and doing charity," Sango murmured admiringly, though she stopped behind Kagome and stared into the flower shop with a wary expression. "Uh—Kagome—do you think maybe we could but from the other shop? The one a few blocks from here?"

"Why? That one's even more out of the way than this and you're already short on time. Don't you want to look great for your big date?"

"Yes," Sango admitted, though the discomfort did not leave her face, "but I know that old lady at the counter. She was on the same bus with me yesterday and she's got an evil temper. It's so ironic that she's running a flower shop."

Kagome turned and eyed the woman through the clean glass. She was looking at them through narrowed, unfriendly eyes, as though bidding them to go away rather than encouraging them to come in. She checked her watch again.

"It's all right, Sango," she said reassuringly, deciding that the little old lady's hostility wasn't her problem and wasn't worth walking a single block further over. "I'm buying flowers, after all, not her, so her disposition doesn't really matter. We'll just be five minutes."

Before Sango could utter another protest Kagome walked in, not approaching the counter and asking for help as she had originally planned to. The way the old woman was scrutinizing them, they may as well have been aphids on the roses she sold. Instead, she moved about the space, trying to sort through the splashes of color for the pink her mother loved.

"These are really expensive," Sango muttered, casting a disgruntled look at a small board announcing the outrageous price for the chrysanthemums. "National flower or not..."

"I can't find them," Kagome said softly, casting another look over the shop in general.

"I told you we should've gone over to the other shop."

"Sango, don't start. Maybe I just missed them."

"Listen, why don't we just go over to the other shop right now?"

"_No._ It's too inconvenient."

"Kagome, let's _go._"

"_N_—"

"Is there something I can help you with?"

They flushed instantly at the sharp tone and they turned to meet the old lady's glare. If she had been hostile before, now it appeared as though the only thing keeping her from doing them bodily harm was her own physical frailty.

"Well—ah—do you have any carnations, ma'am?" Kagome said as respectfully as she could manage when a part of her wanted to give the awful woman the nastiness she deserved.

"Out of stock," the old woman said briskly.

_Well at least we won't be filling your pockets, you old hag_, Sango thought with a stroke of satisfaction. She turned to leave when the old lady's voice filled their ears.

"You're not buying anything?" she snapped. "After tramping around so long?"

"Sorry, we lost interes—" Sango grated out angrily, but Kagome's awkward laugh cut her off.

"Ah—well—how much are these pink roses? There isn't any sign." She kept the smile determinedly on her face even as the lady's scowl deepened at the mention of no sign.

"800 per stem."

"_That's outrage—_"

"What do you think, Sango? Pink is pretty but red is so much more dramatic. I think I might lift the Phantom of the Opera idea and pick up a black ribbon to tie around the stem. White's too solemn and yellow's too—sad."

"I think we should lea—"

"Or maybe lady's slipper?"

Sango glared at Kagome. "_No._"

"You're right—too exotic for now. I think I'll settle on the rose. 800 per stem and I'm short on the weekly allowance, so I guess I'll have to miss out on the bouquet I had in mind." She reached to pluck a perfect bud that had yet to bloom from the red roses when the hag's voice made her freeze.

"Who told you it was 800 per stem?" she snapped.

"Why—you did," Kagome said, her brows furrowing.

"You were asking for the price of the pink roses. Those are different. They're 1000 per stem. You didn't ask how much _they_ were. Try asking first before you start plucking."

"Oh—well—ah—one red rose then."

Sango grit her teeth and walked out, slamming the glass door so hard that it quivered dangerously in its frame. Sighing as the old woman began to screech, Kagome put her money on the counter and picked up the unwrapped rose, joining her friend outside. Sango simply stood there and glared at the old woman, her arms crossed over her chest as she mocked the old lady's shuffling, furious but slow advance from behind the counter.

"Sango, you didn't have to—" Kagome began, but Sango gave her a sharp look that cut her off just as effectively as her next words.

"You don't deserve that treatment and she deserves everything she got from me," she said without remorse, giving the old lady the finger and kicking the glass door shut in her face.

"Sango!"

"Come on, I'm going to be late for my date already!"

Grabbing Kagome's arm, she half-dragged her down the street, heedless of the passers-by who were giving her scandalized, censorious, or approving looks.

"So what if she's old?" she raved furiously. "It doesn't give her any excuse, hormones or not! And her pricing! If she'd stop being such a bitch she wouldn't have to kick her prices up so much to make up for no customers!" She threw the rose in Kagome's hand a derogatory look. "It's not even wrapped! No angel's breath at all! It's not even the one you wanted!"

"Sango—"

"Ooh, she'd better be glad she's old! If she were a few decades younger, I'd have—"

"_Sango, my arm!_"

She stopped in the middle of a pedestrian lane, noticed for the first time that she had left an angry red imprint on Kagome's right forearm.

"Sorry," she said at once, dropping her hold as her temper cooled and she was filled guilt and concern. "I didn't mean to. I was just so angry and you were being so nice it was driving me insane."

Kagome laughed, rubbing her arm and giving Sango a kiss on the cheek. "I know. Don't worry about it."

"Look, Miroku, girl on girl!"

The two girls turned to see the two people they least wanted to see standing on the other side of the pedestrian lane, hands shoved in their pockets and faces twisted into identical expressions of amusement and an unidentifiable something that made both of them uncomfortable. Right next to them was a sleek silver Jag that one of them (guess who?) had parked pretentiously in blatant disregard of the "No Parking" sign right next to it.

"In the middle of the street, too!" Inuyasha continued. His golden eyes bored into Kagome's as he licked his lips and added, "That's so hot."

"Don't you ladies know better than to stand in the middle of the street?" Miroku asked soberly, though his eyes were fixed on Sango.

"Care to go back the way we came?" Sango muttered under her breath.

"What, and run into your best friend from the flower shop?" Kagome muttered back. "No, I think we can handle _these_ pests."

"Ugh, fine." Crossing her arms Sango faced Miroku. "What?"

"I heard you're going out with my cousin," Miroku said evenly, denying Sango the furious accusation she was hoping he would make.

Screwing up her dignity despite her disappointment, Sango managed a shrug. "He did ask me out. Since you two are cousins, I couldn't see how I could refuse without him going to you for help. Since you and I are partners in our majors class, I can't risk complicating our professional relationship."

"Why are you girls so long-winded?" Inuyasha complained, distracted from his original plan to tease Kagome. "I mean, just say, 'You're my partner and he's your cousin. What else could I say?' instead of—"

"You really can't leave things undefined with _boys_ like you," Kagome interrupted. "You misinterpret everything."

"Oh, sure. We're the ones that agonize over every single thing our crushes say and give them all sorts of analyses. Ooh, what does, 'I'll call you soon' mean? Is that like, I'll call you tomorrow, next week, or not at all?"

Miroku gave Inuyasha a quelling look and narrowed the conversation down to Sango and himself once more by stepping closer so only he could fill her vision. Automatically, Sango took a step back. With equally quick reflexes, Inuyasha and Kagome stepped towards them, ears straining.

_Like I'm going to miss _this_? Dream on!_ _Sango spent weeks flirting with Miroku's cousin so that he would ask her out! And it wasn't easy, considering the fact that things just kept spoiling the mood! _ Kagome stepped sideways, pretending to be checking the street behind Sango.

_The Titanic will float before I miss this! Miroku's spent weeks sabotaging Ingo's little tête-à-têtes with Sango only for those two to hook up now!_ Inuyasha pretended to drop a coin and bent down, ears twitching.

"Sango, I appreciate you very much for thinking about us when you agreed to go out with Ingo," Miroku murmured huskily, causing Sango's mouth to go dry on the word "us." "And while I don't think I'd have cared if you'd said no to Ingo, saying yes to him because you didn't want to displease me is very sweet."

_Oh, Miroku_, Kagome thought sadly, sighing and stepping back. _Every time things are perfect, you just _have _to stick your darn foot in your mouth._

_So much for winning her away from him_, Inuyasha thought in disgust, straightening up.

"Right," Sango said in a voice loud enough for them to hear without moving closer. "Fine. Is that all you wanted to ask me? I'm going to have to go meet him now, so do you mind?"

Before Miroku could as much as utter a syllable she was striding past him.

"Sango, wait," Miroku said hastily, taking her arm. "There's more."

"Save it," Sango said curtly. "Kagome, could we go now please? I don't want to keep Ingo waiting."

"Okay," Kagome replied immediately, though inwardly she doubted if Sango would be in the mood to see Ingo after seeing Miroku. And if she did the atmosphere wouldn't be right regardless.

"Let go of me," Sango hissed at Miroku.

"What's up with the two of you?" Inuyasha asked Kagome, sensing that the female brick walls were even more solid than usual.

Giving Inuyasha a cool stare, she didn't reply and proceeded to move past him, but he just stepped backwards and stretched his arm out to block her, his claw settling right over her soft belly. She froze as she felt the power there—the heat that was more than just from being alive slipping through her clothes and pooling between her legs.

"You look like a sales lady who's just taken a lot of shit from a customer," he commented dryly.

"Maybe because I'm just as harassed," Kagome shot back, giving him a pointed stare.

" 'Harassment—persistently causing anybody any form of discomfort.' " He began rotating his thumb with just the right amount of pressure to make her vision hazy. One corner of his mouth lifted into a characteristic smirk. "So just how much _discomfort_ am I causing you and how often?"

Slapping his hand away, Kagome took a step back and brought out the big guns.

"You do know the words so well," she ground out. "Isn't that what Kikyo slapped onto your criminal record?"

Miroku and Sango froze.

"She didn't," they whispered at the same time.

---

"Excuse me, Mr. Takahashi, sir, but you have a phone call."

"Put him on hold," Sesshomaru murmured softly, without lifting his eyes or his hand from the agreements he was signing. His mind wasn't even completely on them. A hundred other business interests were crying for attention as it was, and he was itching to give it to them. Not out of pressure or necessity, as most people would. He hardly felt there was a real need for much in life, and the pressure he had come to know he enjoyed. The fact of the matter was he loved his work. It was as simple as that. It was probably the only thing in the world—apart from the youkai powers he cultivated—that he truly devoted himself to.

"But sir, it's Miss Rin."

The pen paused as he dotted the "i" on his last name. Rin was hardly a _thing_, but he was not prepared to admit that she was the only person in the world who could claim that Sesshomaru had devoted himself to her. He had taken her in, given her his last name, and without lavish ceremony had become her guardian. He had raised her, pampered her, and protected her, though why he did it so personally had remained a question. His father had been ready to adopt her even without the strong encouragement he got from Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother, but something about Rin had Sesshomaru brushing aside his offer.

She was not his sister. She was not his daughter. Her role in his life he did not want to consider as important, yet she was something more than his ward. Whatever it was, it filled him with infinite dread and anticipation, and no matter how he had braced himself for it when the first tendrils of—well, whatever it was—had started crumbling his walls, he had not been—and still was not—prepared for it.

"Rin."

Leagues away, a slender young woman shivered as the deep voice carried over from the other line. She hugged the pillow she had cradled against her chest and curled her toes helplessly as heat slid from her chest to the apex of her thighs.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she sighed, trying to keep the aching out of her voice and attempting to make herself sound tired instead of homesick and depressed.

"Is something the matter?" he asked gently, though he himself hardly detected the softening of his tone. His mind was shifting even as he struggled to understand the brief terms he had been breezing through but moments before. Already the business interests were being pushed aside by a concern that had roots in places he did not want to consider.

"No, not at all," she said immediately wishing she'd come up with some excuse that would make him want to talk to her longer. He would probably get impatient with her for calling when there was no real reason.

Except—

_I miss you._

Giving up as he sensed something beneath her light, reassuring tone, he put down his pen and reclined into the luxury of his chair.

"How is Paris?" he asked absently.

"Oh, wonderful." _Awful when you're not with me._

"Hmmm. And school?"

"My professors think I should take a few advanced classes in painting and sculpture. They recommended Italy in particular for the sculpting." _They also think I need more joyful inspiration since all I seem to be good at is depressing people with my art. _

"Really? So you won't be coming home next month for break?"

_Do you want me to?_ She hesitated—biting her lip and then berating herself. Since when had she thought to hide anything from him? Since when had she been so guarded? And if it was because she feared his characteristic blunt dismissal of her importance to him, since when had it begun to sting?

"I—ah, well," she cleared her throat, flushing at the way he didn't prod. He _never_ prodded. Like it didn't matter _what_ she said. "Will I be missing anything at home?" _Except you, of course._

_Besides me?_ "Not much," he replied. "Jaken misses you though."

"I miss him too," Rin laughed, though a tear slipped down her cheek despite herself. _He misses me—but you don't?_ "You will tell him that, won't you, my lord?"

"I will," he assented readily, though he felt a ridiculous pang of resentment towards Jaken even as he said it. "Jaken will know that you miss him." Tiring of the unwanted intensity that was building beneath that phrase, he cleared his throat. "Is that all, Rin?"

She bit her lip, unable to protect herself from the pain of the dismissal.

"Yes, my lord," she said softly. "I'm going to bed now."

"Sweet dreams." He hung up at once, picking up his pen and doing his best not to think of Rin in her bed in Paris.


	5. The Remedy

**Disclaimer**: -beep- _Segment not found._ –pause--thrash!--slap!--whack!--kick!--punch!- All right, Rumiko, all right already! Yeesh! Inuyasha is all yours!

**Author's Note**: I'm so sorry it took me so long to update this one! ;D ;P ;D ;P ;D I wrote down a draft somewhere and I took forever trying to find it. I still haven't but I decided to update anyway, based on memory. The draft was sweeter and more well thought-out, but I'm hoping you'll like this all the same. ;D If I ever find it, I'll make sure to edit and revise this chapter, but for now—until I do find it—I guess this'll have to do. Here you go! ;P And thanks to my lovely, lovely reviewers! ;P This is the Part 2 I promised you when I abruptly ended the last chapter. :D

_haunting hanyou_: Rin went to Paris before the start of the story, but I'm going to elaborate on that a bit later. :D Sango started going out with Ingo to get Miroku jealous, but their relationship is fairly recent. The date mentioned in the last chapter was supposedly their first. :D Please keep reading—if you have any more questions they'll be answered eventually, and if they aren't feel free to let me know. Thanks for the review, and enjoy this next chapter! ;P ;D ;P ;D ;P ;D ;P ;D

_Kawaii-CherryWolf_: Yes, he does, heehee! ;P ;D ;P ;D ;P ;D ;P ;D It's something that's I'm not quite ready to reveal yet—let's just say everyone will know more about it later on, when Inuyasha feels like dwelling on that nasty experience.

Inuyasha: _Never!_

foo'addict: Oh, we're going to have to see about that...evil laugh...er...anyway, I hope you like this chapter, and thank you so much for the review! ;P Enjoy! ;P

_jenfrog_: Thank you, please keep reading and letting me know what you think! ;P Hehe...I'm a little unsure about this chapter, but I hope you like it. :D

_demonpriestess07_: Sorry it took me so long to update—I hope you'll like this chapter and find it was worth the wait. :D Thanks for reviewing! ;P

_Sakura Ai_: Thank you! ;P Don't worry, it's still a long uphill battle for this hanyou.

Inuyasha: snort Like Kagome would be able to resist me.

Kagome: Oh yeah, Sakura, I'm definitely going to be taking my time with this one...

_iNuYaShAsweet_: Heehee, _hey!_ ;P I hope you like it and let me know what you think on this one—one word can mean a lot of things, haha! ;P ;D ;P ;D ;P ;D ;P ;D Thanks for the review! ;P

_Nomadgirl66_: Thanks, I'm relieved to know you like it! ;P ;D ;P ;D ;P ;D ;P Here's the update, and I'm sorry it took so long. :D Hope to hear from you soon, and enjoy! ;P

_Shadow Girl63_: Thank you very much! ;P ;D I'm glad you like it, and I hope you'll let me know what you think of this chapter as soon as you read it! ;D

Now here all of you go! ;P Let me know what you think, okay? ;D I'm pretty tense about it—heehee. :D

Chapter 5

The Remedy

_"Kagome, duck!"_

_"Kagome!"_

Miroku's arm shot out to keep Sango from lunging forward and he yanked her back just before a vicious slash of power ripped the street before them. Concrete and asphalt showered down onto them and they could hear the distant beeps of the car alarms that the slash triggered.

"Kagome!" Sango cried wildly, struggling in Miroku's grip. "Let me go, you bastard!"

Coughing from the particles swirling around her and shaking from the power that had missed her by mere inches on either side, Kagome lowered her arms from over her head and brushed the dirt from her eyes. Her legs were refusing to cooperate so she remained seated, though Sango's panicked voice cut through her shock and unlocked her voice.

"I'm here," she called out weakly, catching sight of Sango's white face as the air cleared.

"You little bitch."

Her relief evaporated as a threatening shadow loomed over her and tilting her face up made her meet a pair of raging golden eyes. His claws were spread in a decidedly aggressive stance, though they remained at his sides, but their location did not diminish her unease.

"How dare you mention that name!" he continued in that same ominous voice, and she flinched as his right hand twitched threateningly. "You don't even know what you're talking about."

"I-I—" she swallowed hard, trying to stop herself from shaking. Taking a deep breath she lowered her eyes, unable to bear the weight of his glare. "You're right. I'm sorry. I don't know what I'm talking about."

"Damn right!" Inuyasha balled his fists together so hard that his claws dug into his palm and his blood began trickling to the mangled ground. He told himself to calm down, but it wasn't the anger he was trying to control anymore. Pain was pouring out from the old wound in an ocean and every inch of his emotional and mental strength couldn't block it.

"Let me go, Miroku!" Sango hissed, her ears straining to hear what Inuyasha and Kagome were talking about.

"Stay out of it, Sango," Miroku murmured softly, his arm firmly in place around her. "She said something terrible and now she has to take the flak for it."

"Oh, you really are the most simple-minded—" She bit her tongue and gave him an exasperated look over her shoulder. "Don't _you_ want to hear what they're talking about? When a girl brings up ex-girlfriends to a boy it _always_ gets interesting! And this is something they're not likely going to be talking about so publicly again!"

Miroku took a tentative step forward, though his arm remained around Sango. Before she could manage a triumphant look, however, he paused and shot her another question. "Do you mean that Kagome feels...?"

She rolled her eyes. "What, and Inuyasha doesn't?"

A slow smile spread over Miroku's face and Sango felt a hot flush race through her as she imagined—well. She imagined, _period_.

"This should be interesting," he murmured, lifting his eyes and his arm as they began to move stealthily closer.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said sharply before stopping and evening his voice out as best he could. "I'll forgive you if you promise never to mention that name or anything about it ever again."

Guilt and fear almost made her do it, but something much stronger—and entirely different—made her say, "Why not? Inuyasha you have to talk about it sometime or it'll just—"

"Promise!" he ordered, growling and taking a threatening step towards her.

"All right!" she agreed, her voice rising in alarm.

His stance relaxed and she sagged with relief. He watched her shoulders slump and her breath return and he sighed, wondering at the guilt that she incited in him. She was in the wrong, he knew, and he had every right to be furious, but something about the terror he had seen in her eyes had unsettled him and made him feel—

_Filthy._

He shut his eyes as pain ricocheted in his chest and Kikyo's voice rang in his ears. That had not been the first blow, and it hadn't been the last. Unwanted memories pressed themselves into his consciousness and he felt sick.

"Inuyasha?"

_Kagome._

He opened his eyes and saw a different kind of alarm in her eyes. He stared at her, sitting amidst the rubble, her face streaked with dirt and her hair a sandy brown from the dust.

"The look suits you," he said gruffly, closing the distance between them and bending down. She flinched when his fingers closed on her shoulder and he glared at her. "I'm not going to hurt you!"

"Oh, sure, I'm so relieved!" she shot back shakily. "And you didn't just rip a street in half to get at me!"

He pursed his lips in impatience. "That was _before_ you apologized. Now we're fine. Would you stop shaking, please? It's starting to bother me."

"Oh, yeah, I just love doing it, don't I?"

"You know, maintaining sarcasm as your second language will never be good for your social life."

She glared at him, yet though he didn't appreciate it he didn't snap at her anymore. The full effect of what he had almost done to her dawned on him and he felt a tiny prick of regret for the violence of his reaction. It had been years and no matter how painful it had been—and _still was_—he couldn't let it control him. He wasn't supposed to react this way to the pain of remembering what had happened. The thought of it making him attack Kagome with such force made him wince as guilt crept in to join the foray of emotions in his heart.

"I'm sorry, Kagome," he murmured softly, his hand cupping her nape as he leaned forward to press his forehead against hers. Wearily he sighed, his warm breath kissing her lips and releasing the remaining tension in her limbs. He moved his hands to her arms and began running them up and down in a soothing motion.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome whispered uneasily as goose bumps rose along her arms.

"Sorry," he said quickly, lifting his head and moving his torso away from her, sighing inwardly. Why did Kagome have to break every intimate moment they had? Leaning his forehead against hers was something he liked to do in particular, and though it was completely chaste she never allowed him the pleasure for very long. He pouted slightly but resisted the urge to sulk like a child. He'd get his way sooner or later anyway, no matter how Kagome resisted him.

"It's all right," Kagome said quickly, lest he feel the need to comfort her again. She was still blushing and still tingling from his touch and the heat of his body. She smirked as gratitude at being covered in dirt and dust crossed her mind. It would make her shriek any other day, but when she was feeling the way she was at present, it went a long way in masking her reaction to Inuyasha.

_At least I hope it does_, she thought anxiously, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she averted her eyes from Inuyasha's intense gaze.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked so suddenly that her gaze swung back to him and held as some strange power locked her view to his eyes alone.

"Yes. I'm just dirty, is all." She sighed, staring down at the lace and silk of her clothes, already imagining the whale of a dry-cleaning fee she'd have to pay to get them spotlessly clean again. "I guess it serves me right for being so rude though."

He wasn't about to assure that it was or wasn't—he himself couldn't decide. Instead he focused on something she could answer for him.

"Why are you so uptight today anyway? You're still not mad at me about our report are you?"

She flashed him a laughing grin. "After the fat perfect score Mr. Kurosawa just stamped onto our report cards yesterday? Not a chance!"

He smiled back but didn't drop the issue. "So what's up? Why were you particularly pissed this afternoon?"

"Nothing," Kagome answered, shrugging. "It's just some stupid deal about—oh!" She cast her gaze around her frantically.

"What is it?" Inuyasha asked concernedly as she began groping wildly about the dirt and debris about her.

"My flower!" she cried frenziedly.

Inuyasha's eyes rounded out. "Your _what?_"

Miroku and Sango froze for the second time that day, hot flushes filling their cheeks as Kagome's frenetic, anxious declaration filled their ears.

"Er...did she just say...?" Miroku crooned softly, slow, lecherous delight filling his face as he leaned forward.

"H-Her flower?" Sango repeated in disbelief as confusion and embarrassment set in. A second later realization shocked into her. "Oh yes, her damned flower!"

---

Kagome sighed and stared at the mangled blood-red bloom lying on the table as Inuyasha made explosive comments all throughout Sango's version of the flower shop lady. Miroku was visibly enjoying himself—not because Sango's story was entertaining him as much as it was Inuyasha, but rather because he got to take advantage of her excitement.

"Now, now, Sango, calm down," he said pacifyingly, stroking her hand. "You'll knock your drink off the table if you don't stop flailing your arms about."

"I know, I know," Sango grumbled, reaching out with her free hand to steady her sherbet, making no effort to stop his attentions on her left hand. "It's just that that lady makes me so _mad!_"

"Why did you put up with her, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, and she was surprised by how pissed off he was. "You should never have to tolerate such rude behavior!"

"She was harmless, really!" Kagome reasoned with a smile. Inuyasha becoming annoyed on her behalf was something, considering the fact that he was rude ten times over and ten times more frequently than the old lady. On the other hand they had known each other for some time, and familiarity did relax a few formalities when it came to polite behavior, so...

"That's not the point!" He leaned in close, his voice hot and his eyes intense. "If you keep bottling up your anger with everyone else you'll just keep taking it out on _me_! Don't you see how _I_ always end up taking the heat for everyone else who pisses you off? You're way too nice to all the wrong people and bashing my brains out every time _I_ get on your nerves a bit! _I'm_ one of the important people—the ones you should care about being nice to!"

Kagome blinked and then laughed, quelling the urge to deny that she was constantly blowing some steam off on him. "Well—there _is_ something about you that sets me off. Er—since _you_ seem to know that you're so special to me—maybe I'm just so comfortable around you?" She blinked her eyes sweetly at him.

"Right. Like you mean that. Keh." He turned his eyes away from her moodily and she wondered whether she shouldn't have treated something that affected him so much so lightly. Sure, it felt good to punch a hole in his absolute conviction that he was important to her, but—

"All right, I'm sorry," she said quickly, reaching out on impulse to grab his hand. His eyes shot to hers but he didn't speak. Struck by the heat in them—and the ones building in her cheeks—she lifted her hand and patted him awkwardly. "So that you won't be such a slave to my moods, I'll find some other outlet for my aggression."

"Outlet?" His hand turned sharply, facing upwards to clasp hers. Openly interested, he licked his lips. "Like?"

She tore her hand from his and grabbed Miroku—who was sitting next to her. "Like Miroku here!"

"What? What were you two talking about?" he asked distractedly, only tolerating the interruption of his Sango's hand fantasy because Kagome was holding him—he could feel the press of her chest against his back.

Inuyasha smirked, leaning back. "Yeah, like you'd bark up _that_ tree with Sango sniffing all around it."

Sango choked on her drink, torn from her the mental violence she was committing against Old Lady Flower Shop. "_What!_ I am _not_ sniffing around Miroku!"

"Oh please, like _I'm_ buying that bull."

Glaring at him, Sango thumped her chest and coughed, trying to dislodge the fluid caught in her throat. "You've got things mixed up. I'm into _Ingo_. Miroku's _cousin_." She checked her watch. "The one who I'm _supposed_ to be on a date with. Damn, he's probably really mad at me."

"If you're serious about him, I guess I could put in a good word for you—an edited version of the chaos that delayed you." Miroku's voice and expression was sincere, and Kagome saw all too well how that statement hit home, making her want to crush Miroku's ribs.

A shutter fell over Sango's eyes, but she wrinkled her nose at him and jumped to cover it up. "Oh, that won't be necessary. I'll..._make it up to him_...and he'll forgive me in a snap."

Inuyasha grinned, amused by what she was implying. "Why, Sango, I never knew you were such a hussy." _Miroku's got his work cut out for him in getting you to admit your feelings first._

"Well, she does really seem to like him, so you can be sure she'll be all too willing to make amends." Miroku winked at her, positively _radiating_ encouragement. "Ingo doesn't stand a chance against someone like you."

Sango raised a brow. " 'Someone like' me?"

"Pretty, sexy, feisty, and smart." He reached over to pat Sango on the cheek affectionately. "You'll knock him dead."

_Oh dear_, Kagome bit her lip, knowing how much _that_ hurt.

"Oh, yeah." She gave him a brilliant smile, though Kagome could see it didn't reach Sango's eyes. "Thanks, Miroku."

"You ladies sure are working at being more livable," Inuyasha commented dryly.

Kagome smirked. "Well, right now I'm not mad at you—or anyone else, really—and since the remedy to not getting myself cut to bits is calling people out for things they deserve. So since you've been agreeable, I suppose I should be as well."

"So to keep you this way I have to be '_agreeable._'" He said it lazily, but there was definitely something suggestive in the way he was looking. Which made Kagome want to squirm.

"Yes," she said with a smile, trying to hide her discomfort. "_Agreeable._"

He nodded thoughtfully. "I believe I can do that."

Which left Kagome fervently wishing he couldn't.


	6. Inconveniences

**Disclaimer**: Look to the left of this sentence. :D

**Author's Note**: I apologize! ;P I know I should've churned this chapter out earlier, but I got a little writer's block as to how to proceed and had to deal with my midterms! ;P Haha! ;P In any case, people, belated Happy Chinese New Year and advanced Happy Valentines Day! ;P I know this chapter isn't as romantic to fit the occasion, but I promise to make up for it in the near future! (:hint:hint:) :D

Also, before I move onto my thank-you-s to the wonderful people who read and reviewed, I'd like to make an announcement. :D In this chapter and some of the others, you'll be coming across a few characters from different animes. The first person who can identify them and the animes that they're from (this is per chapter) gets a prize! I will gladly write a fic for you pairing any characters from Inuyasha and the other animes I tied into this, any plot-line—your call. :D

Why am I doing this, you ask? ;;) Well, one of my favorite authors did this at one point, to thank her readers and reviewers, and I thought I'd do the same. :D It's a great way to show appreciation for appreciation and the time you take to read and review our stories—I felt appreciated, at least. :D Jeez, how many times have I used the word "appreciation" in this chapter already? Ehehe...ahem! ;P

_gillian-raine_: Would you believe me if I told you some of it I actually lift from personal experience? ;;) Haha, honey, the stories I could tell you... ;P ...of course, you can always just read this fic. :D Thank you for reviewing, it means a lot! ;P

_Nomadgirl66_: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! ;;) Well, they're stubborn little anime characters, so give them some time, haha. :D After all, they're the ones who spend their days suffering without each other, not us. :D

_iNuYaShAsweet_: Oh, honey, it'll be all right::smooch: Forget that bum—if he's anything like Miroku, he needs a damn good reality check as to what his role is. Jeez, what happened to being aggressive, right? If he's interested he should express that interest so that we don't resort to making them jealous! Men! Honestly! Don't worry, I'm going to be making Miroku suffer so much more in this fic for your sake...pretend he's the anime equivalent of that guy...

_Kawaii-CherryWolf_: Haha, well that's something we're going to have to clarify a little later. :D Right now, Inuyasha doesn't have any answers yet, and as he's one of the main characters—

:Inuyasha: Jeez, like it's so hard to tell. Kagome's got a great bod but a personality from hell. What would _you_ have if you could choose?

:Kagome: That's rich, coming from someone who's _from_ hell! And as if I'd want _you!_

:Inuyasha: Oh, you _**want** me_...

:Author::evil laugh: I wouldn't be too sure, Inuyasha...this chapter...this _story_, for that matter...isn't done yet. :mysterious smile: Anyway, darling, thank you for reviewing, and I hope you like this update. :D

_white wolf demoness_: As requested, here is the update! ;P Please do tell me what you think—I appreciate the review, but I'd like even more to hear your thoughts. :D Enjoy! ;P

_demonpriestess07_: The next chapter will come out much faster, I promise! ;P Thank you for reviewing and have fun with this chapter, haha! ;P

_amanda_: If you waited, honey, here's the update! ;P I hope you like it and I hope you'll tell me what you think once you're done reading. :D Thank you! ;P

_yoursolastsummer_: Thank you, darling! ;P I hope you enjoy this chapter—if you'll notice the character interaction in this chapter, it isn't as smooth. :D It's just something I pictured if Sango got to meet Kagome's high school friends in real life...let me know what you think. :D

_KiaraBaby_: I like making people beg...bwahaha! ;;) Kidding, honey. :D Here, the chapter you wanted. ;P I hope you like it and that you'll review. :D

_Borrow-the-moonlight-untill..._: Hey there! ;P Thank you for reviewing this story and the other one (:shameless plug:...ehehe...;;) ) and I want you to know that I'm glad you like it! ;P Here's the update and I hope you'll let me know what you think! ;P

Have fun, everyone! ;;) Remember, if you want the prize, enter your answers along with your review. :D If you don't win in this chapter, there are going to be others with other characters and other animes involved, so don't worry. That's pretty much all I have to say (talk about _long_-winded, haha! ;P ), so please do read and review! ;P Until next time, everyone::smooch:

Chapter 6

Inconveniences

Kagome picked up her Literature examination booklet and groaned.

Beside her, Sango muttered something under her breath and stuffed her booklet into her bag contemptuously. Leaning over to Kagome, she peered at the bright red percentage scrawled onto the front.

"Oh, no, Kagome, _what happened?_' she asked, surprised before sympathetic.

Kagome covered her eyes and leaned her head back, deflating as disappointment and self-loathing filled her. "I didn't read Kafka."

"But interpreting _Metamorphosis_ is practically 70 of the exam!"

Kagome groaned again. "I _know._" She resisted the urge to stomp her foot and throw a tantrum. "I just figured, since Mrs. Ikari didn't discuss it, that it wasn't important. And I didn't have time to read it, with all the other prelims to study for!"

Sango wrapped her arms around her and cooed over her comfortingly. "There, there. We'll just go ask Mrs. Ikari if you can do something for extra credit. If she says no then you'll always have the midterms and the finals to make up for it."

"But Sango, I'm aiming for _honors_! Even if I do pass because of the other exams, this grade will still be lower than what I need to maintain my standing!" Kagome buried her face into Sango's shoulder, practically wilting.

Sango pursed her lips and bit back the scolding retort. She mother-henned Kagome far too much—she was aware of that. But Kagome truly was too hard on herself most of the time, too critical and demanding. She'd bitten off more than she could chew this semester, overloading herself with nine more units than was necessary and trying to juggle all of it with her extracurricular activities, and was getting angry at herself for not performing as well as she "should". It was aggravating for Sango to watch, but she held her tongue about it most of the time. If there was one thing Kagome didn't appreciate, it was her treating her like a china doll.

_She's one to talk_, Sango thought glumly. _She treats herself like she's made of stainless steel._

Being part of the archery team, choir, and writer's guild, as well as working herself raw for honors could very well be a tea party the way Kagome made it sound.

"Then let's hope Mrs. Ikari's feeling generous," Sango said determinedly, pulling Kagome up. "Come on, we've still got catch up with Ayumi and Yuka, remember? They've got that 'top-secret information' they want to tell us."

"Ugh," Kagome moaned piteously. Her high school friends were dolls—Ayumi was wonderfully considerate and understanding and Yuka was a good friend in her own right, despite practically being Eri's sidekick/twin/incarnate—but at the moment nothing seemed better than having some alone time after class.

.Mrs. Ikari was a plump woman with curly hair and soft brown eyes. Known to be one of the more easy-going of professors most of the time and one of the terrors come exam time, Kagome wasn't sure what she felt about her. She'd been very kind before—giving Kagome allowances for term papers and presentations, and so far Kagome had been doing as well as any dedicated student. But such a shameful grade and such a display of negligence...well...

"Mrs. Ikari?" Sango asked tentatively as the woman began packing up her things.

"Yes?" The professor's eyes warmed on the two girls and she straightened, giving them an open, expectant look. "Something I can help you with?" Her eyes settled on Kagome in particular. "Problems with your exam scores?"

Kagome gave a nervous laugh. "Well—sort of."

Mrs. Ikari's mouth twitched into an understanding smile, and she picked up her things, motioning for the two girls to follow her out.

"I was hoping you'd approach me about it, Ms. Higurashi," she said frankly as they moved out into the hallway. "I was thinking you'd rush out with everyone else the instant I said 'early dismissal'."

"I would have, ma'am, if my grade wasn't so low in this exam."

"Yes, I was concerned about that. You're aiming for honors, aren't you?"

Kagome nodded unhappily. "You'd think I'd slack off less since I am."

Sango opened her mouth to object to the start of another "Bash me" session when Mrs. Ikari cut in for her, patting Kagome comfortingly on the shoulder.

"Now, now," she said kindly, "I'm sure you have your reasons. I must say I was a bit disappointed when I read your booklet, but it's not like your grade can't be remedied. After all, you've been an excellent student so far, and I'm not beyond granting students extra credit when they want it."

There was a buzzing in Kagome's head that she faintly recognized as Handel's _Messiah_, and she swallowed audibly, trying to quell the irrational glee that bursting out of her heart.

"What can I do to remedy my grade, ma'am?" she asked evenly, taking a second to compose herself. The "I'll do _anything_" was on the tip of her tongue, but in case Mrs. Ikari took her seriously (and therefore take advantage of the desperation), she held back.

"I considered assigning you a paper, actually, but as there'll be enough of that this semester alongside the reports and presentations, there _was_ a little something different that I had in mind." Pausing and giving Kagome an assessing look, "You _are_ aware of the theatre guild's regular midterm presentation, right?"

Sango froze and Kagome gulped.

"You mean...?"

---

"Bullshit."

Sighing, Miroku put down the stat sheet he was working on and looked over to where Inuyasha was flipping through a magazine. Around them students and faculty alike milled about restlessly, more lounging than patronizing the cafeteria's selection for brunch. Some, like himself, were rushing homework and cramming, others were catching up on a few Z's. A few were flirting (_Lucky sons of—oh well..._), some were primping (_Lost causes, ladies..._), and some staring off into space (_I empathize...yes, that professor is a jerk._).

Inuyasha was in a category by himself—amongst the males at least—as he sat, completely absorbed in that month's _Cosmopolitan_.

"What is?" Miroku asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. For the past half hour that Inuyasha had been snorting and making derisive comments, leering, and vandalizing ("_Correcting!_" he insisted indignantly) the women's magazine, Miroku had staunchly maintained that only numbers, formulas, sums, and products entered his brain flow.

But with Angelina Jolie turning those sexy eyes on him every time Inuyasha changed pages...

Besides, what was the hanyou doing reading _Cosmo_ anyway?

"_ 'What Sex Feels Like For Him'_," Inuyasha quoted in disbelief. "Jeez, what do chicks read these days?"

"What are _you _reading these days?" Miroku countered, amused.

Inuyasha shrugged, discarding the magazine carelessly. "Just thought I'd get into a chick's head...there had to be _something_ in there besides fashion, makeup, and sex."

"Did you find it?"

There was a thoughtful pause.

"No."

Miroku eyed him penetratingly, causing Inuyasha to twitch under his friend's intense blue stare.

"_What?_" he barked irritably, glowering at him.

The corner of Miroku's mouth tipped up smugly as he poked Inuyasha in the cheek with his pen. "You're _that_ desperate, aren't you?"

Instantly a defensive look fell over Inuyasha's eyes and his features twisted—before the fire in his eyes calmed and his face smoothed into a perfect blank.

"What are you talking about?" he said—very carefully.

"Save it," Miroku snorted incredulously.

Surprisingly, Inuyasha did. As he fell silent they became aware of a shifting in the cafeteria as the sound level rose and activity began to peak. Looking around at the increased number of students pooling in through the double doors, Miroku frowned and checked his watch. It was still just 11—most classes were due to end in another half hour or so.

"What's going on?" he asked, more to himself than Inuyasha—who wasn't listening to him at all.

"Can you picture Kagome reading that article though?" he asked meditatively, a faraway look in his eyes. "Can't see why she would, you know...I'd be happy to answer any questions she'd have..." A slow grin crept over his features and his lids dropped as he contemplated the possibility.

"Sure you would," Miroku said dryly, though his smile faded when he saw someone come through the doors.

"No duh—wouldn't you?" Inuyasha laughed, punching Miroku's arm. When the blow went unanswered—in form of laughter or offense—he paused just as he picked up a scent amongst the myriads in the cafeteria.

He froze at that instant, eyes riveting on the entrance where a pair of sharp cobalt blue eyes mocked him from a chiseled, smirking face.

"You!" he snarled, on his feet at that instant. "What are _you_ doing here!"

---

"The Theatre Guild's Midterm Presentation!" Yuka shrieked, verbally capitalizing the words so that the weight of them brought Kagome closer to being overwhelmed. "You're going to be taking part in the play!"

Several passers-by gave her a questioning stare and she quickly ducked her head, clearing her throat uncomfortably. Kagome and Sango had been loitering outside Ayumi and Yuka's Philosophy 10 class for almost half an hour, discussing what Mrs. Ikari was making Kagome do.

"So it would seem," Kagome confirmed wearily, pressing hard on the bridge of her nose. "Mrs. Ikari was pretty clear about it—it's the best way for me to make up for this pathetic exam score."

"You're going to have to give something up, you know," Sango said firmly, her eyes hard. "If you're set on doing this play instead of just banking on your midterms and finals, one of your extracurricular activities is going to have to go."

"I know that," Kagome snipped a bit shortly. As much as she appreciated Sango's concern, she hated it when anyone made her feel like she was less than capable of handling things. Maybe she was, but nobody had to keep pointing it out if she already knew it, right? "I guess I'll have to take a rain check from the archery team...I'm sure Ruriko will understand. The archery meet isn't until the start of the next semester, after all, and I'll have time to catch up before then."

"It's too bad that'll mean you'll have less physical exercise," Ayumi noted absently, more than half her mind on her exam score as she tucked her booklet into her bag. Of course she understood instructions..._neutrality_ was a stand, wasn't it? After all, there was the pro, con, and the middle ground...

Sango snorted. "Believe me, mental exercise is harder. It gets you thinner faster because you don't eat."

"Quite a thing to say for someone who doesn't take academics seriously," Yuka teased, poking Sango in the cheek.

Sango stuck her tongue out at her. "Hey, I just don't think I should kill myself for a grade. What's important is I'm learning and I'll be able to apply the knowledge I've gained when I need to. So I didn't put as much effort in that paper—the point is, I understand things, right?"

"Sure, whatever you say, Sango," Yuka waved smugly, plainly not convinced. They began walking and she turned to Kagome, gaining a thoughtful expression. What was she supposed to be telling her? Damn, if she weren't on a high from her grade she'd remember. Still struggling with her euphoria, she moved to what she _was_ able to concentrate on. "Well, at least you'll have an easier time getting into the play, Kagome. You were a pretty good actress in junior high and high school, and you're easily as good—or even better!—than Eri." She cast a discreet look around. "Don't tell her I said that though."

Kagome laughed, picturing Yuka's face if she ever _did_ hear about it. "You know I won't." Eri was painfully competitive enough already.

"Afraid she'll call you out for disloyalty, Mini-Me?" Sango sneered, poking Eri in the cheek in turn.

"Shut up," Yuka snapped crossly, swatting Sango's hand away. "If you tell her I said that she'll see Kagome as a rival in the acting department again and won't help."

"I thought that would be the case," Kagome mused, wondering how Eri and she had remained friends despite all the former tensions of this nature. "It's why I want to be the one to talk to her about it. If it's me, she'll see it like she's my sempai and I'm the subordinate asking for help and will happily reintroduce me to stage acting. I've been on a hiatus since high school, after all, and she's got about two years worth of university-level experience on me."

"So she technically _is_ your sempai," Yuka agreed, feeling better over her little concession earlier. She _was_ being honest based on how Kagome's acting had been more effective than Eri's in the past, but as Kagome had pointed out, she'd been off stage for a while now. Perhaps Eri _was_ better at it now.

"What will they be presenting though?" Ayumi wondered. "Last semester they did that really cool _Swan Lake_ interpretation."

"_Omigod!_" Yuka squealed, thrown slightly off topic for a while and forgetting her loyalty vs. honesty issues instantly. "Can you _believe_ how dreamy Ayame-sempai was!"

"I would have _killed_ for Kanna's role then!" Ayumi agreed, stomping her foot with tickled excitement.

"Right you two," Sango interrupted, checking her watch. "It's almost rush hour at the cafeteria. We'd better hustle or we'll get caught in the jam."

"Oh, ease up," came Yuka's sour reply, not appreciating Sango's abrasive foray into their little la-la land. "It's not like it's far." Walking huffily down the hallway, she stopped where it turned left and pointed. "It's practically just ten meters away from us!"

Crossing her arms, Sango strutted up to her and gave her an irritated look after glancing in the direction she pointed. "And I'm exactly right," she pronounced curtly. "Look how many people there are already!"

Sure enough, when Kagome and Ayumi arrived they saw that people were indeed flooding the cafeteria. Through the glass doors and the panes on either side that provided students a look at the interior, students, professors, and the cafeteria staff were clogging the said view. The doors were pinned to the wall by a throng of people who didn't seem to understand the word "line" and a cacophony of voices filled the air with the customary rush-hour buzzing. After peering thoughtfully at the faces of the people in the crowd, however, Ayumi broke into Sango's peeved but triumphant statement.

"I don't think they're here for the food though, Sango-chan," she murmured worriedly. "I don't think it's possible to be _that_ awfully excited over the cuisine here."

"She's right," Kagome noted, watery spaghetti sauce and soggy bread flashing into her mind for a moment. "What _is_ going on in there?"

Suddenly there was a sharp note of horrified glee and a collective "Oh!" came to their ears. Everyone else in the hallway stopped and necks cricked as heads snapped towards the direction of the cafeteria.

The next second came uproar.

Disjointed yelps, exclamations, and cheers were heard alongside a sea of "Ooh!"-s and "Oh!"-s as the buzzing mass of humanity began to churn. They could see people struggling to get closer or staggering away, and around them former onlookers were already rushing to the scene.

"Get him!"

"That must have hurt!"

"Stop it!"

"Hey you two, take it outside!"

"Damn, look at that cut!"

"Hey, who wants to start a bet?"

"_Stop it!_"

"You guys, do you think we should get out of here?" Sango asked apprehensively as the mass of people began to flood out of the cafeteria as though being pushed out, stumbling, cursing, and calling out indignantly. As the entrance cleared with people dispersing into the hall, other noises were coming to their ears past that of the crowd—the cracking of plastic, the sound of scattering and splattering food—

"_Inuyasha, stop it!_"

Kagome froze.

"Hey," Yuka touched Sango's arm, her brows dipping into a frown. "Wasn't that—"

"_Stay out of this, Miroku!"_

"_I'm telling you to **stop!**"_

_"Shut up! If you don't back off right now I'll—"_

People toppled like bowling pins and a great, many-voiced scream ripped the air as a blur of silver and black was blasted through the entrance and into the hallway, crashing into a tall, powerfully built student that Kagome vaguely identified as a member of the basketball varsity. Despite his frame, he went crashing to the floor alongside the human projectile that had been unwittingly launched into him, and Kagome could only stare at them for an instant before the crowd swarmed over them.

_Well_, hanyou _projectile, actually_, she corrected herself dazedly before his appearance and what was happening sunk in.

"Inuyasha!" she screamed, snapping out of the numb spell of shock when she caught a glimpse of his bruised face and all the long silver hair finally registered to her.

Beside her, Ayumi and Yuka—who had been poised to help her clear her way to Inuyasha's side—abruptly tensed. Sango, who had been frantically searching the crowd for Miroku, felt her mouth drop open and paled as a pair of completely different blue eyes locked onto hers.

_Oh no_, was her last thought before those blue eyes flicked to her right and narrowed.

"Kagome, that's right!" Yuka exclaimed, grabbing Kagome's arm to keep her from lurching forward any further. "That thing we wanted to talk to you about before!"

"Later!" Kagome shouted angrily, tearing her arm away and failing to see how her friends' horrified gazes lingered not on Inuyasha but on the entrance to the cafeteria. "If it could wait then, it can now!"

"No, you don't understand!" Ayumi cried desperately, clamping her hands down onto Kagome's other arm. "You have to hide! Kagome, Ko—"

"Too late," Sango groaned as the crowd parted like the Red Sea and somebody walked up to them, purposefully stepping on one of Inuyasha's claws as he passed.

Numbly, Kagome lifted her eyes from where Inuyasha was lying and looked at his assailant.

"Koga," she whispered.

His eyes warmed and he gave her a sultry grin.

"It's good to see you too, babe."


	7. Opportunities to be Agreeable

**Disclaimer**: ...:thwack:...oh yeah...right...I disclaim! ;P Ehehe...sorry 'bout that...I was spacing out... :D

**Author's Note**: To my dearest readers:

It has come to my attention (THANK YOU, CHERRY::smooch: ) that the posting of thank-you-s here could very well get my story deleted. As this is the unfortunate case, please know that I am very, _very_ grateful for all of your reviews, even if I am not able to verbalize it here. :D Don't worry—I _will_ find a way. :D

Also, as to the contest mentioned in the last chapter, nobody's won the prize yet! ;P _gillianraine_ missed one answer, so everyone still has a shot at it. :D Nice try though, sweetie. :P

Grrr...my Author's Note is so short without my thank-you-s...why, why! Ehe...ehehehe. ;P Anyway...enjoy this chapter—I hope you like it! ;P

Chapter 7

Opportunities to be "Agreeable"

A pregnant silence hung in the hallway and the cafeteria. People had stopped scuffling to get a look and instead were listening with all their might, ears straining painfully away from their heads as they caught Kagome's barely audible voice and Koga's sharply clear one.

_Koga._

The last time she had seen him he had been standing in front of her family's shrine, gilded in the full moon's silvery light. It had been the end of summer over a year ago and after a brisk, casual goodbye earlier she had been surprised—but not overly so—to see him that evening. She had felt extremely sad but deadly calm when she'd faced him then, compassionate but firm in her rejection of him in the face of his own passionate determination. She was certain he'd ended it then—certain that he knew that a confrontation wherein he forced her to face his feelings for her openly would mean closure and he would be able to move on easily into his new life continents away from her.

Yet here he was, solid and real, over a year later, dressed in a torn pair of Levi's and a black tee, a Nike sports band keeping his bangs off his face and a strong elastic holding it securely up. His warm skin was kissed with a fresh tan and his charged eyes were sending out sparks as needy and meaningful as the ones she'd received years ago.

Maybe even more so.

"What—" she swallowed, suddenly finding her throat dry—"What are you doing here?"

His electric blue eyes softened into an almost dreamy hue, his smirk mellowing into something tender. She felt her heart ache just then and she knew it showed because he winced, looking away from her awkwardly and rubbing his neck.

"Listen," he said earnestly, his voice low so that only she could hear him. "I know you think it was finished between us then—believe me, so did I. But we were wrong, Kagome. I just realized that I put myself through a year of unnecessary agony because no matter what I do I—"

_"You son of a bitch."_

The next instant was a blur of silver and black as a tangle of limbs crashed into the wall, causing people to scatter and scream. The mayhem that had died down in favor of suspenseful observation was once more in full swing and Kagome felt her sluggish pulse begin to race as she heard people on their cell phones calling for help and others resuming the delighted hooting and catcalling of earlier.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, seeing red on the silver that she knew was his hair. "Koga, stop it!"

But neither of them seemed to hear her. And while she could hear _them _well enough, she could only hear incoherent growling and indistinguishable sounds of agony and breaking concrete—or was that bone? Blood was starting to spray onto the walls and snarls and howls only heightened the hysteria. Miroku—his lip bleeding and blood soaking the fabric on his left shoulder—was making his way through the crowd to Sango.

"Miroku!" she cried, her face draining of color as she spotted his shoulder. "What's going on—"

"Never mind that for now," he said shortly, panting from exertion. "We have to get these two to stop fighting before anyone else gets hurt and they wreck this entire building." Turning to Ayumi and Yuka—who were covering their ears and had their eyes shut tight, he spoke kindly. "Ayumi? Yuka? Would you please start ushering everyone out of here?"

"W-What?" Yuka's voice was small and frightened, but her eyes lifted a fraction.

"Please get everyone away from this place," Miroku repeated gently. "I'm afraid that more people will get hurt if we allow them to stay and they're not helping the situation at all."

Yuka nodded hesitantly, lowering her hands and flinching as the sights and sounds hit her full blast. Taking Ayumi—who was in worse shape—by the hand, she took one more look at Miroku's supportive, encouraging expression and hurried over to the person who had momentarily served as Inuyashi's crash buffer.

"Akagi-sempai!" she could be heard saying vaguely over the din. "Please help us get everyone out of here! Miroku said to..."

"Now, Sango," Miroku resumed grimly as Yuka's voice faded into the background, "we're going to have to pull those two apart. I'd ask Kagome, but you're much more capable and you've done this sort of thing before."

Sango nodded in understanding. She had a cousin who was part-demon, and growing up she'd gotten used to pulling him and his overly-aggressive friends apart come Street Fighter night, when video game rivalry and beatings more often than not evolved into real-life brawls.

"Inuyasha, you idiot, _stop it!_" Kagome was still screaming frantically, unsure as to who—or _what_, for that matter—she was supposed to jump in order to get them to settle.

"Kagome, let us handle this," Sango said reassuringly, taking her friend by the shoulder and making her step back gently.

"Ready?" Miroku murmured tersely, straightening admirably despite the obvious pain he was in. "One...two..._three!"_

They lunged towards the struggling mass of bloody torsos and limbs and Kagome felt blood spray onto her arms at that instant.

"Stop it!" she groaned weakly as the thick, metallic smell invaded her senses and she closed shaking fingers over the sticky substance.

Her world reeled.

---

_Kill._

Agony exploded in his brain as he felt Koga's claws rip into his shoulder, nails digging inches deep into the flesh before tearing upwards, lacerating muscle and scratching bone. It joined the stream of emotions and sensations flooding his body, joined the weight that was steadily pulling him down.

_Kill._

The thought was the only thing that kept him going now. It herded all other thoughts—the weight—into a secondary role, flooding his entire being. It manipulated his physical pain into fueling his anger—the black rage that came from depths only youkai could reach.

Dimly he heard Miroku's voice, heard the desperation and worry belying pain. Was he hurt? A fresh surge of hate filled him.

It was Koga's fault.

Everything was Koga's fault.

_"...because I belong here, with Kagome. Not that it's any of your business though, mutt-face."_

_"Having delusions again, wolf?" he sneered, baring his fangs as something dangerously aggressive settled on his mood. "Didn't Kagome reject you last year? What makes you think you belong with her?"_

Someone had a vice-like grip on his arm—_Miroku?_

_"Inuyasha, stop it," came his friend's steady, pacifying voice. "You should just ignore him."_

_Koga's smirk hardened, his eyes narrowed. "Like I said, puppy, it isn't any of your business what goes on between us. Besides, what the hell do you know about marking and mating? _Your _woman got away, didn't she? You didn't even have enough guts to follow her, you mangy dog—what do _you _know about devotion? Ha! You're so pathetic I actually feel sorry for you! I'll even give you a hand! I ran into that cold bitch you're obsessed with in America—why don't we play fetch? I give you her address and you leave this place and stay out of my face!" _

"Stop it!"

Inuyasha howled and covered his ears, trying to block out Koga's voice, his words.

It was then that he realized the agonized whisper was not his own.

---

"You're going to be expelled."

It was the first thing that cut into Kagome's consciousness through the haze of vague sounds that were steadily becoming clearer. The weight of unconsciousness was being lifted from her head, leaving only a dull, throbbing ache where it had settled. She became aware of a soft fanning sound to her right and the cool air kissing her face.

_What had happened?_

"Thank you, Captain Obvious! You know, if you try really hard and we're both really lucky, you'll figure out in the next five minutes that _you're_ coming with me!"

"Oy! Would you two keep it down!"

"I'll have you know, wolf, that this school would never even _dream_ of expelling me! Eight generations of Takahashi successors have been schooled here and it wouldn't be the same without us!"

She lifted eyelids a fraction only to see a confusing swirl of colors—predominantly red—and she hastily shut them again as the throbbing sensation in her head spun away into dizziness. She became aware of the smell of blood and sweat and the recent events came crashing back down on her as the red she had seen registered. Instinctively, she turned her face to the right, where the smell gave way to Sango's signature perfume.

"Still banking on your washed out heritage, are you? Remember, you're talking about eight generations of full-fledged _demons_, not wannabe hanyous!"

_"You lousy—I'll kill you!"_

_"Same thing you said earlier, dog! Come at me then!"_

"_No, you two!"_

"Koga," she whispered weakly, the clearest occurrence in her mind the one wherein she came face to face with him after he had knocked down Inuyasha.

"She asked for _me_, mutt," she heard him say with sharp smugness before she felt the heat of his body radiating into her from her left. His voice flipped onto the other end of the spectrum as he addressed her. "Are you all right, Kagome?" She felt him clasp her hand and sighed inwardly. Not even an hour in each other's company and already he was falling back into the old habits.

"All right...I guess," she replied, placing her other hand over her forehead. She didn't want to open her eyes just yet—she was sure that if she saw blood she'd go out cold again.

"She'll feel better if you stop breathing in her face, wolf!" came Inuyasha's voice, and she heard (and felt—considering Koga's hand tightened almost painfully around her own as Inuyasha shoved him) a scuffle as a second warm body settled on her left. "And you!" She flinched when she heard him direct his anger at her. "What the hell is wrong with you, fainting like that!"

She grit her teeth, resisting the urge to scream at him.

_Urgh, Koga's right! He _is_ a stupid mutt! Can't he see I was worried about him?_

"Don't yell at her, you idiot!" Koga and Sango snapped at the same time, and beside her she felt Inuyasha flinch.

"Hey, I'll do whatever the hell I want so just back off!"

Wearily, Kagome tightened her grasp in Koga's hand and instantly she felt him go still.

"Leave him alone," she ordered tiredly. "I don't want to open my eyes and see you two all bloodied and battered...I know you two are in bad shape already."

"Of course, Kagome," he murmured softly, and he let go of her hand. "I'll let Sango take care of you now and get myself cleaned up. Can we talk after? Dinner later, maybe?"

"Koga..."

_I have nothing more to say to you. _

"...I still have a lot to do," she reasoned lamely, trying to make him believe the slowness of her words was due to her not feeling well. "I did really bad in the prelims and I was hoping to drop by the theatre guild."

"You're doing a play?" She was so relieved at the lack of disappointment in his voice that she missed the marked interest that _was_ there.

"Auditioning for a part, yes. If I get in, I'll be able to make up for my score. So, you see...I'll be really busy...I don't know if we'll get a chance to..."

"I understand, Kagome." And it sounded like he did. She just lay there stupidly as he swooped down to peck her cheek, reeling so much from the _normalness_ of his voice that Inuyasha's indignant growl was lost to her ears. His long hair slid over her cheek and she got a whiff of his aftershave beneath the blood and sweat before he was pulling away and straightening. "If the chance ever does come, and we get to spend time together, let's talk, all right?"

"Er...right."

"Good. I'm off then."

"Hey!" Miroku made himself heard for the first time since Kagome had come to, and he didn't sound the least bit happy. "Not so fast, Koga. You and Inuyasha have some serious cleaning up to do before you get yourselves patched up. _And_ you've both got to deal with the dean once he's been notified."

"Fine." Kagome could almost see Koga roll his eyes. "Sango, why don't you get Kagome out of here? I'll start cleaning up already."

Kagome missed the expression on Koga's face as Sango helped her up. She kept her eyes scrupulously fixed on Sango's face (_There's a bruise on her chin! Ooh, Inuyasha is _so_ going to get it once I'm feeling better!_) as she helped her away from the impromptu arena.

Inuyasha, however, whose eyes were fixed murderously on Koga 90 percent of the time, saw it all too clearly. Refraining from acting on the spot because he knew he would only be handing his points over to Koga if he did, he instead picked up one of the mops that the cleaning staff had abandoned when the fight had began and began ruthlessly attacking the blood on the floor.

He'd have a chance later. Koga was all too easy to read.

Especially since he was thinking the exact same thing.

---

"Psst. Kitsune."

Irritably, Shuichi Minamino lowered the book he was reading and cocked a brow at the hanyou who was leaning forward on the seat to his left.

"What?" he mouthed, casting a wary look in the direction of the check-out desk. Mesho-san was a nice enough woman, but she was—delicately worded—"excitable"—and any sort of "commotion" was amplified into a full-fledged scream session when she got wind.

"You're in the theater guild, aren't you?" Inuyasha said carefully, shooting an apprehensive glance at the same woman—as well as a few dozen people who were regarding two of the most popular guys in the university with frank interest.

_Now this is interesting._ Turning back to the book, he nodded.

"Oy, I'm still talking to you!" Inuyasha hissed indignantly, wincing when Mesho-san stood up suddenly. When she moved towards the water dispenser, he took it as an opportunity to scoot his chair closer to Shuichi's desk.

"Keep talking," Shuichi invited blandly, his looking down the only thing hiding the amusement in his eyes. "I assure you, I'm positively _riveted_ by what you're about to say."

**Further Author's Notes**: Huhuhu...nobody said anything about putting thank-you-s here, right? ;;) Ehehehe! ;D Kidding. :D Seriously, to all the members who reviewed, from now on I'll be sending you PMs with my thanks. :D This segment is for the non-members who I can't send personal messages to. :D So, to the following reviewers:

_cougiecat_: Thank you so much! ;P Koga and Kagome's relationship is revealed a bit in this chapter—I'll put more in the next. :D I'm really glad you like what I write and I hope you'll let me know what you think of this update. :D

_-beautifullychaotic-_: Here's the update, honey! ;P I'm trying to cure myself of my cliffie-creating addiction...bear with me, hehe! ;P

If you read, review, you guys! ;P You don't know how far a little encouragement will go. ;P Come on, don't you feel empowered? ;;) The fate of my work is in your hands—just click that little button over there (lower left, sweetheart... :D ) and type, "Oh, I _loved _it, but this part...", etc. etc. :D And remember—the contest! ;P So that you guys have an easier time of it, I'll leave a clue: there are _three _characters mentioned in this chapter who are from other animes. Good luck, and have fun! ;P


	8. Scheming and Preparations

**Disclaimer**: Inuyasha. Is. Not. Mine. There. Happy?

**Author's Note**: This chapter is up because I love all of you. I still think it needs more editing, but I did promise it would be out soon, and with all the exams and work coming up, I don't have much time to edit. It's now 2 in the morning where I am and I've got a mountain (no joke) of work to tackle if I'm to survive this semester, so if it's a little less than you expected, bear with me, okay? ;;) The next chapter will be juicier, I'm very sure, and if you're Miroku/Sango fans, there'll be more on them there. It's set the day of the auditions, so if you want it out asap, leave me a review and tell me what you think of this one so I know how to fit the succeeding chapter to out mutual enjoyment of the piece.

Also, **importantly**: I confused Kagome's friends' names. **Eri** is Kagome's theatrical enthusiast friend while **Yuka** is the one without a headband. I've corrected it in the last chapter as well. ;;) Thanks for bearing with me! ;)

_Why_ do I sound so droning today? Must be because I've been running on caffeine for the past 35 hours.

To all my reviewers, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! This chapter is out for you and all my readers—you guys keep me going! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Chapter 8

Scheming and Preparations

"You do know that the mangy wolf is back, right?" Inuyasha hissed, the mere mention of Koga making his teeth clench, exaggerating the sharpness of the air passing between his lips.

The tall, red-haired boy beside him nodded noncommittally, seemingly absorbed in his reading though Inuyasha knew better. He was a kitsune after all—and most kitsune, when grown, were a far cry from Shippo—the fox-kit he'd had for a neighbor since he was a child. Besides, Shuichi Minamino was no average kitsune—in his real form, he almost resembled Inuyasha to the point that a few indiscriminating demon slayers and spirit detectives had come after Inuyasha, believing him to be a relation of the famous Makai Thief, Youko Kurama.

After several years served as penance for his crimes, here Youko Kurama sat, in the body of a human youth, no indication of his being a youkai evident even in his scent.

Youko Kurama was, however, very present in Shuichi's mind—Inuyasha knew that much. He didn't trust the indifferent demeanor for a second, and knowing that Shuichi was scheming and that Shuichi _knew_ that he knew that he was scheming—

_Right, spare yourself the agony, Inuyasha_, he told himself, willing himself to relax despite the involuntary tension that gripped him whenever he was around Kurama's type—it was like being with Sesshomaru's creepy business associate. _What was his name again? Naruto? Nara—damn it! **Focus, Inuyasha!**_

"I need you to help me," he said in a low voice, his eyes fixed on Mesho-san as she walked back to her desk, casting a scrutinizing glance about. When her dark eyes caught his he bowed his head lower, ears twitching in anticipation to flatten themselves against his head if she began to shriek.

Kurama was keeping almost statuesquely still, but Inuyasha could see that his eyes weren't moving over the page. Long moments later, Mesho-san was contentedly leafing through a book, apparently oblivious to everything and everyone else around her.

Inuyasha watching her so strenuously that Kurama's soft voice nearly made him jump—and scream.

"I have nothing against Koga," he murmured mildly, and his green eyes lifted to meet Inuyasha's—revealing bottle-dark pools of serious contemplation. "You said you need me to help you, but don't think I missed the underlying implication." He gave Inuyasha a quick surveying glance, the corner of his mouth quirking up in understanding as he continued. "Koga levied some blows, I see, but I'm very certain you got your hits in. If you're looking to continue your fight with him, then I have absolutely no business in it."

Inuyasha growled, his temper more than spiked from Kurama's apparent misunderstanding and the remark on his not-so-spiffy appearance. "I didn't say I was going to fight with him again. And I sure as hell didn't say that I need you to help me sabotage him. I just need you to help me gain an inch over him."

The redhead leaned back, lifting a brow and no longer holding back his smirk. "And this has something to do with the theater guild because...?"

"He's auditioning," Inuyasha intoned fiercely, one of his claws twitching murderously. "He's doing it to get close to Kagome, I'm sure of it."

"And if he is?" Shuichi leaned forward suddenly, his gaze narrowing on Inuyasha's face. "It's not like Miss Higurashi is any business of yours...is she?"

Immediately wary, Inuyasha looked away and shrugged. "If she is, it's none of your concern, is it?"

Kurama smiled suddenly and shut his book with a soft snap. Moving his chair back quietly, he made to get up, saying, "You're absolutely right. None of this, in fact, is any of my concern—"

"Damn you, kitsune!" Inuyasha ground out, glaring at him and jumping to his feet, only half-conscious of the need to be very, _very_ quiet now. "Why can't you just do me this one favor without asking any questions!"

"Be glad that I'm just asking for answers and not a different kind of price," the fox warned quietly, his eyes shimmering with gold at that instant. A second later they were back to the deep viridian green Inuyasha was accustomed to, paired with Shuichi Minamino's signature polite smile. "If you answer well enough, I'll help you."

Inuyasha stared hard at him, trying to dig past the cool composure that was blocking Kurama's emotions. When nothing happened past him beginning to feel dumber and dumber as the silence stretched on, he sighed heavily and shot Kurama a reproachful glare.

"Define 'well enough'," he snapped sourly.

Shuichi took his seat, placing his hands serenely on the desk, his eyes strangely understanding. "Just tell me the truth, Inuyasha. It's all I need to hear."

---

"Oh dear, you don't look well at _all!"_ Eri exclaimed, cupping Kagome's pale face in her hands and clucking her tongue disapprovingly. She pursed her lips, turning her face to Sango and shaking her head in a way that told them what she was even worse. "You're not auditioning too, are you?"

"Thankfully, no," Sango replied with a wrinkle of her nose, her eyes flashing with meaning.

"Oh, don't take it wrong, Sango," Eri scolded impatiently, releasing Kagome's face to walk over to the other girl, who was lounging against the doorframe. "It's just that you two _both_ look terrible, and considering tomorrow's the opening for auditions, you need to look your best."

The three of them had gathered in one of the university theater's dressing rooms, which were yet to be assigned as the theater was not yet holding shows. As quiet as it was inside, however, there was a low buzz of activity filling most of the building that morning—mostly maintenance staff and a fair number of production crew that were already prepped for their jobs. Opening night was nine to ten weeks away, and the university's head director had already pulled up his sleeves and set up all the preliminary activities. He had already delegated most of the work, particularly in terms of production and technical work, and was already turning his attention to the main event.

Apparently, the script had been finalized, and with everything being set up, it was time to find the core of the production. The auditions would be starting soon.

_Too soon_, Kagome groaned inwardly, wondering how Eri would manage to bring her up to speed in a day. Talent was definitely something good going for a person—but in contrast, insecurity for a whole host of reasons—lack of preparation, lack of tertiary exposure, lack of—hell, just plain _lack_—could wash out even the most concentrated of talents. She plopped down resignedly against the wall, mentally viewing today's timetable. Slashing out her subjects, she had four hours of break time to work on things with Eri and then an hour to finish up some other work while she waited for Eri to finish class. Then Eri would come over and they'd practice...and practice...and practice...

_It's going to be a long, long, day._

"I'm sure Kagome will be fine," Sango reassured her, forgiving Eri's apparently unintentional slight. She awkwardly patted Eri on the shoulder. "She's just tired."

"I should think so, after what happened yesterday," Eri agreed, clucking her tongue as she turned from Sango and seated herself at the dresser, starting to take measurements. "I'll tell you something though, Kagome—if you _do_ make the cast it'll be great publicity. The whole Inuyasha/Kagome/Koga scandal is blooming all over the school and people are bound to empty their pockets to see a development on it."

Kagome's mouth dropped as she was unceremoniously shaken from her grim contemplation of the next 24 hours. "_Inuyasha/Kagome/Koga **scandal!** What the—**you can't be serious!**"_

"Is it really so bad, Eri?" Sango inquired worriedly, almost as strained over the impact of the rumors on Kagome's chances of being cast as she was over the fact that her friend was now involved in a scandal.

"It's wonderful, actually!" the other girl countered, oblivious to Sango's meaning. "Can't you picture it? Inuyasha and Koga will definitely come to see the play with Kagome in it at the very _least_, and who knows what will happen then? I can already see them in the front row, center, vying for your attention!" She giggled as she now began testing the lights. Her expression grew serious, however, as she added, "It's a tad worrisome though."

" 'Worrisome!' _That is the understatement of the year!"_ Now that the possibility of that happening had occurred to her, Kagome felt violently sick. She wouldn't be able to take another of Koga and Inuyasha's fights—it was bad enough on any given day. If they began slashing each other up during the play...

"Now, now," Sango interjected soothingly, "let's not get ahead of ourselves." Her own cool faltered somewhat when she caught the slight frown on Eri's face. "Unless there's something else wrong that we should know about?"

Absently, Eri replied: "I want these lights. How come I didn't have them in my dressing room last time?"

"_Could you **please** concentrate!"_

"Right—sorry." Embarrassed that she'd spoken aloud and inadvertently let them in on the shallowness she had been working so hard to make everyone believe wasn't there, she cleared her throat and regarded Kagome seriously. "At the very least, if they fought they'd make a fuss. At the worst they'd upstage us. Since you can't sort _them_ out—though if you need help with that, you know you can always—"

" '—_since you can't sort **them** out'_—please continue," Sango cut in icily.

Though she shot her a contemptuous glare, Eri continued on her former train of thought. "Since you can't sort _them_ out, we're going to have to make damn well sure that no matter what happens, you'll be so good that the audience wouldn't notice if the theater was crashing down on them."

"Please, Eri," Kagome waved her hand, embarrassed and more than a little pressured by her words. "Nobody's _that_ good."

"And we've still got to get her past the auditions," Sango added worriedly. She shot Kagome a hasty look. "Not that I don't have any faith in you—"

"When it comes to this?" Kagome laughed, patting her arm graciously. "I wouldn't blame you."

"But you _can_ have faith in _me_," Eri scoffed loftily. She gave Kagome a comforting squeeze on the shoulder and even ventured—considering how Kagome's high school friends were often at odds with her—to take Sango's arm. "Believe me, when I'm done with you, you _will_ be able to accomplish what I've just said. And don't worry about the auditions—I've got the ideal part for you to read."

"You sure move fast," Sango complimented, warming towards Eri despite the prickles that were still between them. After all, it _was_ for Kagome's sake, and if Eri could still do things like this for a friend, perhaps she wasn't half bad.

Eri gave Sango a smug smile, but her cheeks pinkened in a way that told them the compliment still had the effect praise was made for—because it was sincere.

"Of course," she muttered, detaching herself from Sango awkwardly and walking over to where she'd deposited her bag. "You'll have to photocopy my script and read through it—even the parts you're not reading—so that you get the feel of the play."

"What is the guild doing this semester?" Kagome inquired a bit apprehensively. The theater guild was one of the pride and joys of the university—and the city for that matter—for the very reasons that made her nervous. Apart from the degree of phenomenal excellence it held as its standard, they were known for—in recent years, at least—making productions that were in short a bit too forward for some of Kagome's personal tastes. She appreciated the art, of course, but seeing herself doing scenes from some of the theater's past productions of _Swan Lake_ and _Nosferatu_...she shivered. As a member of the audience she'd left overheated and decidedly uncomfortable. She didn't know how she was going to survive the production process if this semester's production was anything like the ones she'd seen. "You guys aren't doing anything...progressive...are you?"

Eri laughed, reading the worry behind Kagome's tone and interpreting it correctly. She pulled the thick manuscript from her bag and began flipping through the pages, glancing up only to give Kagome a teasing look.

"Honey, we are _nothing_, if not progressive," she smirked. "But you needn't look like you're about to be raped, the part I have in mind for you is completely innocent."

"What _are_ you doing this year?" Kagome repeated, mollified to an extent but still nervous.

"Do you know Shakespeare's _The Twelfth Night?"_

"I think there's a foreign film coming out about that one, modern context," Sango murmured thoughtfully. "The one with the _What A Girl Wants_ actress...what was her name again?"

"Amanda Bynes, and you're right," Eri answered briskly, stopping. As her expression made apparent, she'd found the part Kagome was going to read for. "We're changing some of it, though we're retaining the time period. Mostly we're expanding character roles, and the part you're going to read for is Duke Orsino's servant, Valentine." She handed Kagome the script. "It's not a very difficult role, but our writer's made it quite substantial, so your professor is bound to credit you as much as she would if you took on something meatier. Who knows? After this you might consider it! It could be your reintroduction to theater! You were pretty good in high school!"

"This is different." Giving her standard reply whenever anyone brought up her excelling in something in high school, she momentarily pushed Eri and Sango out of her immediate awareness and focused on the role, running through the opening lines of her character. She'd seen _The Twelfth Night_ only once on TV as a child, and Kagome was only vaguely aware of the storyline. She didn't have time to thoroughly read through the original play—was that even advisable, considering it could color her portrayal of the new Valentine?—so she was just going to have to rely completely on the material Eri had given her.

So...as to first impressions of her character...

"She's very kind—she seems to feel Orsino's pain quite acutely," she murmured absently, flipping the page.

"Yes," Eri agreed, bending next to Kagome and reading the scene from over her shoulder. "Shigure-sempai expanded the servant role into a sort of little sister thing, and she's very attached to Orsino. She ultimately gets close to Viola—who's disguised as a boy, Cesario—and unwittingly falls in love with her. Viola's in love with Orsino, however, and Orsino's in love with the lady Olivia. When Viola is sent to Olivia on Orsino's behalf, Olivia falls in love with Viola—again, unwittingly—and Viola, who's very much in love with a man, is now burdened with _two_ females' attentions. Valentine gets wind of Olivia being in love with her 'Cesario' and of course she attempts to intervene, conspiring with Olivia's other suitor in the hopes that she will eliminate her competition by getting her married off to someone else. Apart from that, she also encourages Orsino's pursuit of Olivia, when formerly she had nothing but bad things to say about the woman."

Sango held her head, trying to process everything she'd said in under one minute. "How do you manage to say that without getting confused?"

For once declining to brag, Eri shrugged. "I've read the script."

"Seems like she's willing to be mean for love," Kagome observed as she flipped through the script to find the lines that interested her. "So she's not the simple 'kind' character I initially had in mind. Sounds like a great role," she summed up, brightening. She began rummaging through her bag for a highlighter, already picking out what she'd read. "I think I like the part where she's telling Orsino to go for it and Orsino confronts her about her weird behavior. See here—she gets all awkward, and after Orsino leaves she gets into a total guilt trip over how selfish she's being by 'pushing the blind towards the Abyss for the chance to steal its true desire'."

"Referring of course to Orsino, with the 'Abyss' being Olivia and 'its true desire' Cesario," Eri clarified. "Excellent choice—it'll give you a chance to really show how deeply you can draw from the character, plus it's practically monologue, so you won't need me to be interjecting another character's lines all of the time."

"Your Shigure-sempai writes a lot of heavy-sounding lines," Sango commented. She gave Kagome an encouraging smile when she looked up from the script, a slight frown contracting her brows. "I'm sure you'll pull it off without bringing it over the top, though."

"Thanks," Kagome grinned. "It'll need some work, though."

"Let's get started then, shall we?" Eri suggested, straightening. "I've got class in an hour. We've got to start by checking the mood of the play at this point. By now Viola's told Valentine about the whole Olivia fiasco—oh! That scene is particularly delicious! We can try it if you like—an alternate if we don't pull this scene off so smoothly..."

The two of them promptly began discussing the role and the two optioned scenes. The distance between them and Sango was now more than physical, and the other girl sighed resignedly. She understood that Kagome had a lot on her plate now, and as a friend she wasn't about to add to it if she could help it.

But she _did_ want to talk to Kagome about things. They had taken an interesting spin yesterday, during the scene with Inuyasha and Koga. It had shaken a fair number of people, and for all her being used to these kinds of things, she was no exception. Of course, she'd been concerned greatly about Kagome, and nearly as much for everyone else who was there, but...

The sight of Miroku's blood had nearly killed her.

It was on his arm, and was just a flesh wound, but she'd nearly fainted at the sight of it. Looking into the very eyes that had made her pull it together with all the reassurance and comfort in the world, she had felt immeasurable hatred towards Inuyasha and Koga, who had caused him pain. It had given her the strength she needed to haul Koga far enough from Inuyasha just as Miroku had grabbed hold of his best friend. If Inuyasha hadn't come to his senses within moments—what _had_ come over him, causing him to howl like that?—she was fairly certain she'd have become much more violent than necessary.

_Bastards should be glad I don't lug my Hiraikotsu around these days_, she thought darkly, a flash of the same anger sparking in her heart once more. She hadn't been able to vent it out on the actual objects of her aggression, so it was still there, festering somewhere alongside the horror and pain of seeing Miroku hurt. When she'd returned from taking Kagome to the infirmary for a checkup (just in case) and had gone back to see to Miroku, she'd found the cafeteria clean—but deserted.

She'd nearly driven herself insane with worry, spending half the night trying to sleep and half the night trying to get herself to pick up the phone and call him.

_It's not like it would be _weird, she'd told herself over and over again seconds before she'd stomp her foot and climb resolutely back into bed. _You two are friends...well...sort of...and it would be a really nice gesture._

Instead, she'd spent the early morning torturing what was left of her nerves as she listened eagerly—but discreetly—for news of Miroku from the dozens of people who were talking about the fight. It was a good thing that she wasn't in Kagome's company at the time—if she didn't need them, she would have been tempted to rip those people's tongues out for half of what they said about the incident. Of course, when one of them had mentioned that he'd seen Miroku parking his car that morning with only a tight bandage peeping out from beneath the short sleeve of his polo, she'd nearly kissed him—gossiping tongue and all.

Deciding her companions wouldn't mind if she stretched her legs and walked around a bit as she brooded, Sango exited the room as quietly as possible, looking back to make sure they were not disturbed, as she pulled the door shut and heard the satisfying click.

And then she turned, moving forward and running into something that she was faintly certain was a wall.

---

"_Unbelievable!"_ Inuyasha ground out, slapping his copy of the script down onto the desk and giving Kurama an incredulous glance, oblivious to the hamburger wrappings that flew off the table at the action. "How the _hell _am I supposed to understand _that?"_

After the fifth attempt at explaining the entire plot to him as Inuyasha perused the roles, Kurama steadied his drink on the rattling table and sighed. Giving the curious onlookers and the shocked staff an apologetic glance, the look he gave Inuyasha expressed his thinning patience more than eloquently.

"If you don't behave yourself," he said tersely, "we'll never be allowed into WacDonalds again. Trust me, that is _not_ something that would inspire me to help you. Got it?"

"Fine, fine," Inuyasha grumbled, straightening in his chair and flipping the script open again. "But seriously, all the circles in this goddamn plot is making me dizzy. Won't it be easier if we just pick out one character?"

Kurama arched a brow. "It's what I've been suggesting we do since we got here."

Inuyasha gave him the finger, but his grin was sheepish. "Give me a break, okay? I've been holding out because I don't know what part Kagome's going to be reading for. It'll be a hell of a lot easier for me to get what I want if she's my partner."

"I'm sure Koga's thinking the same thing." At the tightening of Inuyasha's expression and the low growl that reached his ears, the kitsune leaned forward and gave him a weary look. "_Think_, Inuyasha. Before you can worry about who Kagome's character will end up with, you have to be _in_ the play. Now hurry up and pick a character you like so we can get cracking. And if you complain about the lines one more time, I'll shove that script down your throat."

**Further Author's Notes**: The contest you guys, remember! Three characters from other animes are present here, so give it a shot. ;;) Also, to my non-member reviewer—here's my thank-you!

_fire_: Here's the update! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I really hope you waited—I'm going to wait for your feedback. Thanks again! ;)


	9. Auditions and Changing Winds

**Disclaimer**: Disclaimed. Enough said.

**Author's Note**: I was surprised with myself, actually, for working on this chapter with my finals week looming before me...it's a matter of fourteen hours left, to be exact...but it kind of just wrote itself in the midst of all my stress and bouts of free-floating anxiety. I hope it's all right—I know most of you are longing for some Kag/Inu action, but that had to take a backseat in this chapter for a bit more of plot development. This is actually the longest chapter I've ever written (whoopee!) and I was going to continue, but then the theme of the coming events seemed better suited to a fresh chappie. _That's_ when some major Kag/Inu is going to be up, so I hope you'll bear with me in this one! I know I promised to have the casting for the play out with Chapter 9, but a new idea occurred to me and I decided to postpone it. :P Just as well—I still haven't decided whether or not to cave in to the threats of die-hard Kag/Inu lovers, or go with gut feel on this one, so give me a little more time, ne? ;;)

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY REVIEWERS FOR YOUR REVIEWS, AND TO MY READERS FOR YOUR CONTINUED PATRONAGE! It means the world to me. :P ;;kiss;; ;;kiss;;

Oh yes, and **warnings! There's something just a little bit graphic near the middle of the chapter, so make sure to cover your eyes and skip over if you're not into that kind of thing. **

Chapter 9

Auditions and Changing Winds

She reeled from the pain, her entire body tensing from it and from the anticipation of crashing into something else now that she was disoriented. Instead, the second the shock had lifted from her senses she realized that though she wasn't standing, she wasn't exactly flat on the floor. She felt strange—suspended awkwardly, but comfortable somehow. It took another second for her to realize that she was pressed up against the wall she had first bumped into—only now that her mind wasn't numb, it occurred to her that walls didn't dip forward, and they certainly didn't smell faintly of crisp paper, tea, and grass.

Sango cracked an eye open but only managed to do so halfway, considering the way her head was held tightly against what she realized was a part of someone's torso. Against her forehead she felt a steady rise and fall, and the full nature of her current state hit her as the heat of another person's body seeped into her own and a soft voice murmured against her ear.

"Are you all right?"

She jerked backwards, and the arms that had been locked so securely around her moments before gave way as their owner seemed to sense her distress. Sango flailed for a moment as the sudden absence of those arms and the rest of the body that had kept her from falling disappeared, along with their warmth. She steadied herself against the wall, cheeks flushed a deep, embarrassed red, as she fought down the sense of loss and denied the sense of security she had felt within the stranger's arms.

For one wild moment, she had believed him to be Miroku.

But that voice had shattered everything.

Because it was not in her nature to do otherwise, she looked solidly up at her assailant and rescuer.

It was so strange how the darkness she saw in his eyes could dazzle. For a moment, he was too beautiful to even look at and she couldn't help but lower her eyes to the darkness of his shirt. She knew she was looking beyond stupid at this point, as much as she knew that her heart was hammering wildly in her chest, but she seemed unable to pull herself together. It was the damn heat in her veins that was destroying her! She was almost completely sure that if someone were to toss a bucket of water on her right now, it would evaporate inches from her.

"Miss?"

Despite its softness, there was a strange kind of authority in that voice that compelled her to look back up at him. Her gaze slid over the deep whiteness of his skin, the slim, upturned lips, the fine, straight noise and slight cheekbones, and locked back onto the aching vortex of splendor in his eyes. Without knowing it, she had taken a step towards him.

"Miss?" he repeated politely. "Are you all right?"

_Am I what? Huh? _

She could've kicked herself.

"Y-Yes," she said hastily, bowing swiftly. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"As was I," he replied, bowing slightly in turn. "I apologize."

"Oh no," Sango insisted, embarrassed. "Please don't. It's my fault—I was so distracted that I—" She froze, realizing as she brought her head up with both of them bowing, their faces were now inches apart. She looked up at him, his face slightly shadowed by his dark hair, and forgot what she was saying.

"Miss," the stranger murmured softly, lowering his tone in a way that was dangerous to her overall state of being, judging from the way her knees began weakening, "you really should allow me, as a gentleman, to take the blame."

"Oh—oh, yes of course." She lowered her face again, the Sango she was familiar with surfacing from beneath the swamp of feeling and taking charge, knowing that if she looked at him looking at her any longer, she'd do something incredibly idiotic.

"Please, right yourself," he went on, sounding pleased. She jumped when he laid a slender hand on her shoulder to make her stand up straight, and his tone shifted into concern once again. "Miss, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Sango burst out a little desperately, wanting to bolt that very instant. Every second in his presence seemed to turn her more and more into a flustered little chicken, which she most definitely was _not_, under any given circumstances! _Miroku_, for crying out loud, had never even gotten her _this_ far undone!

"I'm glad," he smiled. "For a moment, I thought you were going to faint."

"M-_Me_?" she laughed nervously. "Oh, I don't faint. Ever."

"That's good. You're very fortunate, then." He smiled again, his eyes warming, before he looked away and back down the hall, where he seemed to have been heading. "I seem to be particularly unlucky today. Barreling into such a lovely young lady without her reacting adversely seems to be the only good thing that's happened to me as of yet."

_Sango, they're just words. _

Oh, but words could do so much. She managed to keep herself from giggling by a mere shred of self-control. And, of course, the dampening thought that she had often heard Miroku say something like that more than a few times—always addressing a different girl, a girl _other_ than _her_.

_That bastard._

Somehow, thinking of Miroku both soured and improved her mood. No doubt she felt the familiar anger she felt towards him creeping in to corrupt the strange, tenuous pleasure twisting through her system, but at the same time she felt a smug satisfaction. The fact that someone who made her respond to him so strongly was using such a line on her—it proved that _some_ men still had taste.

Some part of her composure restored, she gave him a winning smile to show that she had taken his compliment with pleasure, and feeling slightly more at ease, she allowed the teasing part of her nature to get out.

"Sounds like you did it on purpose," she smirked impishly, biting her lower lip as she raised a brow at him. "Maybe I _should_ blame you completely for what happened."

"If it means I'll be receiving more of your attention," he shot back, his eyes positively liquid. Her breath caught as he reached out suddenly, his hand coming to rest beneath her elbow in a light, tentative grip. "For instance, to get me out of your way, would you consider helping me find someone? A cousin of mine was said to be here and I have a need to speak with him. If you would be so kind...?"

"Of course," she affirmed, feeling a warm claw of _something_ rake down her belly as his grip tightened and he twined her arm with his, inescapably bringing her closer to him. "Although I would think you're only trying to prolong your being in my company, as I'm certain you could find your cousin quite well by yourself."

It was his turn to smirk as he looked down at her. "Do you mind?"

Her eyes dancing with mirth, she shook her head shamelessly. "Not at all." Giving him a playful nudge, she shot him a measuring look. "So...does this cousin really exist? Or now that you've gotten me where you want me will I find out he was just a ruse?"

"Oh no," her new "friend" answered with a surprised laugh. "He's quite real. In fact, he's the head of the theater guild at this university."

Sango's laughter dropped and her eyes rounded out. "You mean Ayame-sempia?"

The stranger nodded, something in his expression shifting. "So you know him."

"I know _about_ him," Sango corrected quickly, wondering what this strange feeling was that was now beginning to seep off of him in waves. "He's quite famous around here. I'm surprised you aren't, considering you're cousins. Don't you go to this university as well?"

He shook his head almost wistfully. "Sadly, there are other things past school that occupy my time. I'm the head of the Sohma family to which Ayame belongs. My name is Akito."

---

When Inuyasha had first asked him to go to the theater and see if Koga was up to anything suspicious on the day before the auditions, he'd been beyond pissed. Not only was he irked by the inconvenience he was putting himself through to ease the depth of paranoia capable of by only an inu-hanyou, he was mightily ticked with the inu-hanyou himself. Not only did Inuyasha owe him an apology, he bloody owed him a whole round of drinks for the pain he had—and was _still_ enduring for his sake.

He hadn't found any trace of Koga, which had initially made him even angrier, but he _had_ found a beautiful girl in the technical crew who had, of course, helped him dispel all of that troublesome emotion within the confines of one of the theater's many dressing rooms.

_"Oh!"_

Miroku winced.

Not from Asato's shrill cries—_those _he enjoyed immensely—but rather from the way her fingers clamped down on the just-closed wound in his arm. He slid his mouth deliberately from the base of her neck up to her ear, stilling the hand that was literally a fine thread away from the gates to heaven. He took in the sweet scent of her perfume and sweat, which was rolling off her in waves of musk now that her overheated body was sending out steam.

This is what he lived for. The familiar, delirious response he evoked in his lovers—the knowledge that for the countless nights to come he would be remembered and welcomed achingly back into their arms. The simplicity and pure ferocity in a love that was short-lived, the variety he enjoyed uninhibitedly and the way he could, in turn, share himself unselfishly.

Their love was an easy one that grew easily but never ran deep. It brought pleasure but never entered places that were deep enough to harm him—it sprung up and ended in the flesh. He knew it, and Asato and every other girl like her did as well. They accepted their relationship as it was and didn't expect any more from him, just as he didn't think any less of them.

She ground her hips against his hand, whining loudly at his inaction, and he lowered his eyes sensuously in order to conceal the emotion that was really running through them.

It was all imperfect in just one tiny way. Their responses—arduous and heartfe—well, _bodily_ felt—as they were, _always_ failed to elicit a similar response in him. As the days dragged by and the women came and went, it was almost an effort to keep himself from actually abstaining.

"Miroku," the girl moaned, twisting against him deliciously, her fingers digging in harder. "Don't stop."

_Yes, Miroku, don't stop_, his mind chanted determinedly. _There's no reason to._

_But there's no reason to continue, either. Not when I don't feel as much want for her. It's bad enough to make love without love in the equation. Now you're going to do a girl you don't really want?_

"Yes," he whispered determinedly, his hand moving again, making Asato writhe and scream even more harshly than before.

**_Why?_**

He allowed another girl's face enter his mind as he looked down at Asato, who had tears of ecstasy leaking from her eyes as her head thrashed from side to side.

_Because she wants me without reservations, without wanting more than what I am. Because she doesn't want me to change. Because around her I don't feel lousy and inadequate. _

_Because I don't really care about what she thinks of me as long as she has a good time. _

_Because for her a good time's enough._

Minutes later, he was pressing a chaste kiss on the girl's damp forehead and pulling himself from the stranglehold of her lovely arms. He took a moment to straighten himself out and give her a soft smile as she looked at him through dazed, sated eyes.

"Miroku," she whispered, her voice hoarse from her cries. She licked her lips and pulled herself up, her sweet body still rosy from the passion he'd drawn out with the expertise of a virtuoso on his violin. "I want to do that again."

He nodded, caressing one of her calves familiarly. "Soon," he promised sincerely, already fitting her into the schedule he'd mapped out in his mind. "Right now I have to get to class."

"So do I," she replied, flicking her curly red hair over her shoulder as she let slid herself off the dressing table, chuckling at the steam on the mirror as she began to hunt for her clothes. Miroku watched her dress, wanting to leave but not wanting her to feel unimportant to him. She was—_all_ women were, to some extent—and if he was going to bed them (of course, bedding a woman didn't necessitate the need for a bed) he didn't want them to feel like tools for his pleasure.

They were beyond that. The liaison could last a night, a week, a month, die, and then be taken up again—it was open-ended and uncomplicated, but they were friends and they enjoyed each other without taking things too far. In that he was intrinsically different from Inuyasha, though from the way equal amounts of women chased them it appeared to make no difference.

Asato had picked up her heels and was now twining her arm with—thankfully—Miroku's uninjured one, as they made for the door. He knew he wouldn't be accompanying her to her class—he needed to make a few stops before his own, and he was certain she'd find a way to twist his "Soon" into a "Now" if he stayed in her presence for much longer. That was why he allowed her to give him a long, lusty kiss even as he pulled open the door.

"Down, girl," he murmured teasingly, nipping her lower lip even as he pulled away.

She pouted up at him adorably before balling up something pinky and silky and incredibly familiar before putting it in his hand.

"Don't forget about me," she whispered, winking at him before she tossed her hair over her shoulder and began walking down the hall.

He smiled appreciatively as he watched her beautifully rounded bottom swing provocatively—but on purpose—and shook out the pink material in his hand.

Her panties.

Laughing, he shut the door and turned to make his own way to his class—the closer exit to where he'd parked being _up_ the hall.

The panties slipped from his hand and fell to the floor.

Strangely, he felt incredibly stupid.

"Sango," he murmured in greeting, insanely not knowing how to greet her.

Her cheeks were flushed but the rest of her face was dead white, which was definitely not a good sign. Her lips were pressed into a harsh, thin line, and her dark eyes were sparking and sparkling at the same time, telling him that whatever else she was feeling, she was _not_ very happy with him at this time. She didn't even respond to his greeting—merely kept staring at him in a way that looked like she was about to scream at him—and cry.

Then someone put a hand on her shoulder, and for the first time Miroku became aware of the tall young man behind her, who had a face he would never pass up if it belonged to a girl. The only way he could tell, apart from the telltale signs found in clothing, was the hardness in his stance and the virility that was palpable despite the stranger's slender frame. When the man put one pale, elegant hand on Sango's shoulder and said her name in a soft—sinister?—voice, he was even more certain.

This stranger was definitely a man.

And—as the part of Miroku that was true to himself was sensing—a rival.

That is, if one listened to that part. The dominant consciousness of Miroku, however, did not, which was why he was barely aware of the twinge of jealousy in his heart as Sango's fierce expression went slack and she seemed to immediately compose herself, as though calmed by a mere whisper and a soft touch.

"Please excuse me," she said—not to _him_, but to the stranger—before giving Miroku a brief nod. "Miroku, this is Akito Sohma, a cousin to Ayame-sempai. Akito, this is one of the resident..." she cast the undergarment on the floor a slight sneer—"well, you know what he is—Miroku Hoshi."

"How do you do?" Akito said with a respectful bow.

"As well as any of the resident you-know-what-s, thank you," Miroku responded with a wide smile and a bow of his own. "And you?"

"Quite well, thank you," Akito replied, with an answering smile.

_That's it, Miroku. Take it into stride._

"So you must be here to see your cousin then," Miroku surmised, projecting utmost ease even if he did not really feel it. "I haven't met you yet, so I assume you don't go here."

"No," Akito confirmed ruefully. "As I was telling Sango, I finished my degree just last semester in Osaka. I had a few problems with my health, you see, and the climate of that region agreed with me better."

"It's a shame, it would have been nice to get to know you. Your cousin and I aren't close, but the times I've been in his company were very entertaining. I must ask, however—are you older than us? You seem quite young for someone with a degree in...?"

"Philosophy. I was planning to advance to law, but business got in the way. I'm actually just your age—I finished early because I enrolled during the summer."

"You're very diligent! Myself, I..."

Their voices faded into the background as the buzz of blood began to roar in her ears. Sango watched with narrowed eyes as Miroku just stood there, conversing with Akito with his signature easy charm, as though a girl's panties—a girl who hadn't even been out of sight when he'd dropped them!—weren't lying at his feet. She felt her heart pounding uncontrollably even as something prickled her eyes and constricted the muscles of her throat. She didn't need a very creative imagination to picture—

_**Urgh!** Stop it Sango!_

She couldn't believe what was happening. When she'd first stopped and heard the door open—heard Miroku's voice—she'd almost jumped with surprise—and guilt. She had been standing so close to Akito, talking so intimately and easily with him about her college life and his job—as well as light, somewhat flirtatious banter over things she couldn't quite remember—and then she'd seen Miroku.

And felt the ice bucket empty itself over her head even as she was swamped by a tide of mixed emotions. She was angry and ashamed and pleased all at once, uncertain of which feeling was dominant over the others. She was irked that Miroku was there, interrupting her intimacy with Akito even as her mind rushed to defend her actions against the guilt. There was nothing wrong with having conversations and being in another man's company. Miroku had no hold on her whatsoever, and had never been entitled to have one. So if he got all unreasonably miffed and jealous over Akito and maybe call him a few names, stake his (irrational, of course) claim on Sango without her (direct) approval, then it wasn't her problem.

Then of course he'd unfurled girly-girl's panties like some symbolic flag of conquest and it had ruined everything.

_The son of a bitch._

He wasn't even looking at her. _How_ could he? Why didn't he even look the _least_ bit uncomfortable or guilty at being caught with that—_that_—

"So, you two," she cut in abruptly, trying to direct the anger that threatened to ricochet in all directions if any more time passed with things the way they were. Both men—who appeared to have been enjoying their conversation—turned to her with surprised looks on their faces. She felt more than a little embarrassed by her behavior in front of Akito, but seeing Miroku look at her like she was strange drove her past the shock of her own actions. Pasting an apologetic smile on her face, she touched Akito's arm and spoke as sweetly as she could. "It's about time we got going, don't you think? Ayame-sempai could very well be leaving the theater at this time—most classes are about to start."

"Oh yes, of course," Akito murmured, turning to Miroku and giving him a smile. "You're an interesting man, Miroku. I would shake you hand, but..." He gave the panties a pointed, laughing look.

"I wouldn't let you," Miroku laughed in turn, pressing the hand that had held them to his cheek with a sigh, apparently unaware of the way Sango's face burned and murder flashed in her eyes. Casting a quick look down the hallway, he tilted his head in the direction that Asato had gone. "If you like, maybe you can ask Asato for Ayame's direction. She's part of the technical crew and since Ayame's the head, he's probably had some hand in directing them today."

"Asato," Sango repeated, in a deadly sweet tone that was more appropriate for saying the word "Bitch". She nodded in acknowledgment of Miroku's help before turning to Akito. "Shall we then, Akito?"

"Of course. Miroku." Akito tipped his head in farewell before he allowed himself to be guided away by Sango, who didn't as much look in his direction. She was so caught up in her hurt and anger to notice the look in Miroku's eyes when she passed by him.

Akito, however, noticed it very much. It made him tighten his grip on Sango's hand ever so slightly, and the business that he had come to see his cousin about was suddenly displaced by the need to have a meal.

With Sango.

---

"I'm not sure I believe what I'm seeing here," Sesshomaru murmured softly, leaning casually against the doorframe of his younger brother's room.

His hanyou sibling was looking decidedly distracted, his jacket swinging haphazardly off one arm—as though he'd forgotten he was taking it off halfway. His shoes appeared to have been kicked off absently, as there was a distinct imprint of mud against the pristine whiteness of one of the ottomans, and one of his socks lay not far from them, the other still on his foot. His belt was undone but not removed, and he was pacing about the room in strange, lilting steps, a thick blue slide folder in his hands.

"I would be filled with the utmost gratitude if you were to leave it at the door, Myoga," Inuyasha called over his shoulder, his voice carrying an accent that was impressively authentic—if not absurd when paired off with the rest of the package.

One of Sesshomaru's brows lifted and he advanced into the room, casting a disparaging look over the state of disarray that was his brother's trademark. It seemed that no matter the size of the army he employed to keep it tidy—youkai and humans alike as members of it—Inuyasha found a way to keep them on the payroll. He sighed, knowing that despite all of that, he didn't mind in the slightest, and not simply because he could more than afford to keep such a large staff solely for his brother's comfort.

Inuyasha, for all his idiotic, incomprehensibly temperamental ways, and his disgraceful human lineage, had gotten to him—burned away the icy contempt he'd felt for him since he'd learned of his existence with his bluster and—as Sesshomaru had proven to them both on many occasions—bluffs. After that he had been left defenseless to the sentient nature of inuyoukai, been powerless to stop it from taking over. Before he truly knew it, his formerly despised hanyou sibling was firmly entrenched in the practically barren earth that was Sesshomaru's heart.

It was horrifying, but it was the truth.

So much so that with five meetings waiting to be seen to and two already rescheduled, three evening engagements to prepare for, and a sack of paperwork that needed his attention, he was still finding the time to check up on his only sibling. Several years earlier, he'd have shocked himself—and then promptly dragged himself over to the old tree, Bokuseno, for an assessment of his state of mind. Being foolish and subject to such trivial emotions such as love—as Inuyasha was—couldn't possibly be _contagious_, could it?

But he was Sesshomaru, and Sesshomaru had no need to justify himself to anyone—no need to fulfill standards of what a youkai was supposed to be like because _he_ set those standards. And if he felt the way he did—_despite_ being a youkai—then there was nothing amiss with the situation. He knew exactly how to convince anyone who thought otherwise.

"Inuyasha," he said, lending his voice the impatience it needed to be sharp enough to grab his brother's notice. "What are you doing?"

Inuyasha's shoulders jerked convulsively and his feet—which had been gracefully positioned in preparation for a courtly bow—lifted an inch before crashing solidly into the floor. His claw clenched around the slide folder, crushing it in the middle, and his face flushed a dark shade of scarlet as he whirled around to face Sesshomaru, occupied hand behind his back.

"What the fuck are _you_ doing?" he snapped angrily, teeth bared. "Don't you know how to fucking knock?"

"I did—twice," Sesshomaru answered, vastly amused and letting Inuyasha know it as his lips tipped up into a smile that was made to mock. "I can understand your distraction, however, and there is no need for you to apologize for being inconsiderately negligent of your surroundings. Your reading material is certainly...captivating."

"Shut up," Inuyasha ground out, flushing even more deeply. "What the fuck are you doing here anyway, Sesshomaru? Shouldn't you be meeting with those Malaysian investors?"

"My, my, Inuyasha, have you been checking on my schedule? If there is something you wish to bring to my attention, you have but to say it. We do live in the same house, you know."

"Get over yourself! Like _I'd_ do that! It was my fucking dean that told me—your secretary let him in on your schedule when he called to set an appointment."

Sesshomaru nodded—he'd been informed minutes after the call had been terminated, but work and his own reservations had kept him from confronting Inuyasha about the incident right away. Obviously, now was a better time than yesterday to talk about it, given the hanyou's currently—well, comparatively—upbeat demeanor.

"You got into a fight with that wolf yesterday."

Inuyasha scowled. It was embarrassing enough to have Sesshomaru walking in on him while he was rehearsing—if he'd had a choice, he'd have died before allowing that. It seemed, as of late, that his older brother was peeking into a lot of things in Inuyasha's life. First there had been that freaky incident some days ago wherein he was mockingly repeating the same phrases Inuyasha had used on one lover, then dropping weird hints and pieces of advice, and now he was actually facing Inuyasha in a way that was weirdly reminiscent of a _parent._

"You going to whip me for it, Pops?" he challenged, squaring his shoulders and assuming a decidedly aggressive stance, forgetting that he had been hiding his copy of the script behind his back.

Sesshomaru's mouth lifted into a slight smile. "It's usually tempting, but no. As much as giving you the sound beating you deserve for such conduct has its appeal, I'm here for answers."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, tossing the script on his bed as he lost his taste for rehearsing. Walking over to where he'd stashed a bottle of Cuervo, he gave Sesshomaru a warning look.

"Don't start. Miroku's bad enough. And don't tell me you actually care about the repercussions of it because I sure don't. Koga's not your fucking problem, and neither am I."

"I don't recall implying either." Sesshomaru's smile hardened somehow, and the glint of humor in his eyes sharpened into something unthreatening but definitely more serious. "The Ookami do not do business with us, and for that you should be extremely grateful, because if they did Father would be tanning your hide as we speak. What _does_ concern me are your reasons for the fight, Inuyasha. Giving in to your baser needs for petty reasons does seem to be in your nature, but I had hoped that even you would be above them."

"What? The punk was _asking_ for a punch! It's not like _you_ would have backed down. You're one to talk about being petty. You've taken out more than your share of youkai and humans alike for less." He glared at Sesshomaru as he poured a quarter of the bottle down his throat.

"For less than what, Inuyasha? I crushed those who went up against me, put those that challenged me back into their places. If what was reported to me is correct, you ripped into Koga over a few meaningless words."

Inuyasha's teeth clenched and his hand tightened dangerously on the bottle. "They were _not_ meaningless."

Sesshomaru was silent for a moment as he considered the pain that was twisting his brother's features. Part of him wanted to continue with the taunting, the provocation that would lead Inuyasha into confronting the issue that still ate at him, even after three long years. As a youkai, he understood the depth of feeling that Inuyasha was capable of. But that Inuyasha had allowed himself _that_ flimsy, flighty emotion, had actually let it plant its roots so deeply into his being when its nature was so untrue—it disturbed Sesshomaru greatly to see one of his bloodline—diluted though it was in Inuyasha—be thus so affected. It was why part of him wished so badly to reach into Inuyasha's and dig out what ailed him, regardless of the pain of the process and the ugliness of the task.

But the other part of him—from which it stemmed he was still unsure of—told him to wait. Inuyasha was not like him. Inuyasha was infused with human blood, and humans did not often make it through the process Sesshomaru had in mind as wholesome as they had been. In Sesshomaru's mind, humans broke under the force of such a purging, and knowing that Inuyasha was still, in part, human, things told him that he had to wait. That he had to give his brother time to deal with things on his own terms, no matter how long it took Inuyasha's oh so human heart to do that.

"Fair enough," Sesshomaru acceded quietly, and Inuyasha's mouth dropped open in surprise. Seeing it, he resisted the urge to laugh, and his grim mood lightened considerably. "I do not presume to understand why you feel that way, but if you say that it is so I will not question you. I _will_, however, insist that in the future, you find less explosive means of expressing your displeasure. Your dean was very concerned over the welfare of your schoolmates and the facilities with you and that wolf in such temperaments."

Inuyasha's sharp laugh was almost a bark. "That old bastard. You mean he wasn't concerned about _me_ but he was worried over a bunch of nobodies and the fucking building?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that all the other people nearby were such 'nobodies', little brother."

_Again with that creepy and knowing gleam in his eyes._ Inuyasha resisted the urge to growl and raise his hackles. _Fucking Sesshomaru, what the hell does he know and what the hell is he hiding? Is he actually talking about Kagome? How the fuck would he know about _her?

"Whatever," he muttered, trying to hide his discomfort. "Don't worry about it. You can tell that old geezer that I've...found an alternative means of dealing with the situation."

Shooting the slide folder on the bed a bland look, Sesshomaru nodded in approval. "I can see that." He was about to say more when the shrill note of his ring tone alerted him to a call. Signifying that their discussion was over with a single dismissive look—which irked Inuyasha considering that it was _his_ room—Sesshomaru flipped open the Ericson as he exited the room.

"Fucking weirdo," Inuyasha snapped as the door shut on Sesshomaru's back, putting the Cuervo down as he lost taste for drinking. Tossing himself onto the bed, he picked up the discarded script and began rifling through it, wrinkling his nose at the crumpled state of it as he tried to look for the scene he had been considering. Damned if he was going to take the time to psychoanalyze his eccentric older brother's complicating disturbing behavior.

He had a play to get into.

In the hallway, Sesshomaru had put the phone to his ear and murmured a cursory, "Hello" before the voice on the other line made his blood freeze and sharp tingles race down his spine.

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

He cursed himself a thousand times for not checking the screen first.

Taking a moment to school his voice into neutrality, he responded as he began walking down the hall.

"Rin."

---

Charles de Gaulle airport was packed, so filled with people that it was as difficult to move as it was to breathe, hear, and speak and be heard. At the head of one of the phone booths was a young woman with two large suitcases on either side of her and two plane tickets—one to her artistic haven and one to where she truly wanted to be—in one of her coat pockets. Not far from her stood a group of young women—obviously friends—with their fingers crossed and their nerves strained with anticipation, waiting to find out whether or not they'd be waving off a jubilant member of their group as she made her way to her home—and the possessor of her heart—or comforting a forlorn and heartbroken sister as they made their way to the Boot of Europe.

Twisting the phone's cord nervously in her hands, Rin groped wildly for something to say to him. A dozen thoughts, a dozen questions were all racing from her mind to make it to her mouth, jumbling on the tip of her tongue, and she found herself aggravated once more by his waiting—with the heavy implication of impatience—silence.

_Why have you been avoiding me?_

"I..." She swallowed as her voice cracked.

"Yes?" Still calm, still composed, still distant. She resisted the overwhelming urge to cry.

Was he being deliberately cruel? Didn't he see that he was hurting her with his indifference? If he did, would he even care?

The answer was no, and Rin knew it even as she berated herself bitterly for feeling so much pain over it. She had never minded it as a child, but children grew up. Children changed. Lord Sesshomaru was Lord Sesshomaru, and he did _not_ change. She was the one more adaptable, less set in her ways, and she would have to be the one to shift for him if she wanted her relationship with him to continue. She didn't want it to continue the way it was, but faced with the possibility of it coming to an end if she pushed things...she wasn't ready for that kind of loss.

"I just thought I'd call," she managed, choking back the tears. "I haven't been able to reach you lately, Lord Sesshomaru."

"I've been occupied with work."

No apology, just an explanation—something that, alone, she would have been grateful for as a child. Lord Sesshomaru did not explain himself often to anyone, and she had been pleased when he did so for her on occasion. But things were changing between them now—she was certain he could feel it as much as she—and yet he refused to give her more, to adapt and thus extend his hand in a gesture that made clear he welcomed the change.

Obviously, he did not.

And she was just going to have to deal with that.

So she tried to put an understanding smile in her voice when she replied. "Yes, your secretary told me so."

She ignored the response that was in his silence.

_And yet you still called. _

"I just wanted you to know that I'm going to Italy after all," she continued, desperately trying to infuse her voice with excitement instead of the misery welling in her throat. "Some friends of mine are going, you see, and since I'm not really needed over there, I thought I'd go with them instead of coming home. I was hoping it would be all right. Would it, Lord Sesshomaru?"

She should have expected it, should have anticipated the knife. But she had wanted so badly to hope that he would want her by him somehow, no matter how her friends discouraged her from setting herself up for the pain.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

Shutting her eyes, letting the hot tears slide down her cheeks even as the people around her gave her uneasy looks, she took a deep breath, willing herself to face his indirect rejection with the dignity she had cultivated to please him.

"Of course," she murmured, nodding more to herself than him. "I was merely checking, Lord Sesshomaru...goodbye. I..." She erased the two words she had been meaning to say and wiped the tears from her cheeks, giving the people around her a falsely bright smile. "I won't disturb you again."

She put the phone back into its holder and promptly took out the ticket to Japan, shredding it into tiny, unsalvageable pieces.

---

Ayame Sohma fiddled with a stray strand of fine silver hair that had managed to come loose from his thick braid. Sitting in the middle of the long table that was reserved for the panel, he represented everything that the theater guild was and aspired to be. Gilded honey pooled in eyes that were bright with the humor that shrouded the impossible depths beneath, and fine features assembled a face that ladies both craved and cursed. His expression was easy and open, and the elegance of his bearing was not lessened by the presence of three gold loop earrings on his right ear and one loop and a stud on his left. His red coat was unbuttoned, revealing the dark slacks and simple white polo beneath. With his collar unbuttoned, the traces of a snake—cobra—tattoo could be seen on the part of his chest that covered his heart—something that more than a few people were trying—_discreetly_—to admire.

It was the morning of the auditions for that semester's first production, and as was customary, he and the rest of the handpicked panel had shown up to do the judging that would determine the cast. Although it was very possible that he would be stepping in himself for a role, the guild's faculty adviser Mr. Izanagi had insisted that he be part of the panel and help sort through the amazing turnout of non-guild members who were auditioning for the play. Mr. Izanagi maintained that they welcomed new talent, but he himself was too biased towards the members he had coached and trained, and he needed someone like Ayame, to whom personal association was unimportant so long as one had what it took to be in, to preside over the judgment of the non-members, who they had agreed to audition before the members themselves.

He checked the Gucci watch one of his many girlfriends had given him, seeing they were due to start in a few minutes. He cast a scrutinizing look over his shoulder as he observed the people who were pooling in to audition or watch the auditions. Their number was surprisingly larger than usual considering it was still 7 in the morning and the real crowds turned up two or three hours after the auditions were underway. He wasn't about to believe—_didn't_ want to believe—that the multitudes that now filled more than half the theater were the non-members who were about to audition. The members of the guild who occupied the first four center rows were shifting and looking around uneasily as well.

"Quite a crowd," his cousin, the guild's writer, Shigure commented, rubbing his hands in anticipation. "Looks like we're going to have our hands full. Best of luck to all of them."

"And us," Ayame agreed, giving the members—and everyone else—an encouraging smile. Trying not to look anyone in the eye long enough to imply marked interest, he turned back to the desk, where members of the guild's admin branch were setting coffee and the list of the people auditioning. As with the auditions themselves, the non-members had been separated from the members, and Ayame winced at the inch-thick list that was exclusive of the individual grading sheets.

"I can't believe this," Jakotsu, the guild's notoriously gay makeup and fashion coordinator muttered, flipping through the list. "How can _this_ many people have developed a sudden passion for drama in a single semester? There are about two hundred more people on the outsider's list than there were last semester."

"And we thought _that_ was hell," Shigure reminisced with a shake of his head. "God, we spent three 16-hour days sorting out who would snog Ayame. What incentive could they possibly have now, when Ayame isn't even actively going for a role?"

"I think I know," Rankotsu—head of the guild's technical department—said with a smile, his head tilted in the direction of the crowd. Smirking, he turned to his list and began rifling through the pages, settling on the third page marked with a "T".

"What is it?" Jakotsu asked eagerly, looking frantically in the direction Rankotsu had been staring, going through the trouble of digging up his glasses so that he could see more clearly.

"Right here—number 684," Rankotsu indicated to the other members of the panel, who were also scanning the crowd curiously. His finger had settled over a name near the middle of the page, and pages were shifted as they all scrambled to find what he was pointing out.

"You mean..." Ayame breathed, disbelief palpable in his voice as he stared at the name next to the number.

At that very instant, Jakotsu spotted him and his glasses slipped down his nose as he shrieked in delighted surprise and excitement.

"Takahashi! Takahashi, Inuyasha!"

**Further Author's Notes**: To my non-member reviewers, this segment is for you. ;)

_yay_: Thank you! Chapter 9 and I'm not even getting into the thick of the main plot yet, haha! ;P I hope you stick around to see the rest of it. ;P

_fire_: I love YOU! ;P Heehee, I know! Here's the update—it's pretty long compared to what I usually write—and it's got more drama in it than the last few chapters, so I hope you had fun! ;P The next chapter will be similarly dramatic but on a different scale and I promise you and all my other readers that I'm going to have some fun with Inuyasha next time. Mwahahahahahahaha... ;;evil look;;

Can you guys believe I almost lost this whole chapter? There was a black out just as I was typing my message to _fire_ and when I got to access my computer again MS Word kept popping up and saying, "Sorry, Windows needs a converter to open this file...the converter required is not in your network operations system..." and I nearly cried. Then I saw something named MWRS09 and tried clicking it and _viola!_ Here it is! Anyway, thank you so much for your support guys! You can't know how much it means to me! ;P


	10. On Stage

**Disclaimer**: ;;in 'Addict's dreams;; INUYASHA IS MINE! MINE I TELL YOU! MI--;;ooff!;;

Rumiko Takahashi: Wake up, you idiot.

**Author's Note**: NO! Don't hurts us! We promises we has a good excuse for not updating so long!

;P

Seriously though, guys, I'm _so_ sorry I left you hanging the way I did! I know I promised an update "soon", but it turned out to be two months before I could finish writing this chapter. School's in full swing, you see, and I had so much to deal with personally as well. I hope I haven't lost you guys yet, and I'm hoping you'll let me know you're still there! ;P This chapter is a sort of atonement—longest one I've written. It's queer, how my chapters keep getting longer...hopefully, the gaps between my updates don't follow that trend...read: motivate me, guys! ;P Kidding, hehehe... ;P

Also **IMPORTANT NOTE**: there's going to be a lot of mentioning of the _Twelfth Night_ from now on, so I recommend skimming through the play or at least reading up on the characters so that you can envision the Inu gang donning the roles. ;P Haha, trust me, when you read up on who Inuyasha's playing...hahaha! ;P

Love lots, guys! ;P

Chapter 10

On Stage

Kagome's head—which had been deeply immersed in her script as she went over her lines again—snapped up as a loud voice screamed someone's name. Her eyes wide, she stared at the slim, incredibly pretty homosexual who had gotten up to stand on his chair, waving towards someone in the milling crowd. She had heard the name he had called out, and that, more than anything, was what sent the already delicate nerves in her stomach into convulsions.

_Inuyasha is here._

Beside her Sango gave a little start as well. She had appeared preoccupied when Kagome had met her earlier that morning, though Kagome didn't mind. It was enough to have Sango's comforting presence nearby and with her friend deeply immersed in her thoughts it was easier to concentrate on her own. Though she _did_ make a mental note to pry after the auditions. Sango did _not_ walk around with a dazed look and a heated flush to her cheeks on a regular basis, and it merited a thorough investigation once the trivial things were out of the way.

Though this audition was far from trivial. Her very life—or an important part of it, at least—was staked on her making it into the play.

Perhaps that was why Inuyasha's presence bothered her so. She hadn't come across him since the incident the other day, and over that she was still feeling a bit raw. As soon as Sango had led her away from the scene and she had been given a moment to herself, she had firmly tucked away all her feelings regarding him and Koga, concentrating on something she _could_ deal with—namely, her part. She was already half in love with her character, Valentine, and adding to the pressure of her grade was the actual want to be in the production. It had been a long time in coming, but Mrs. Ikari's requirement had brought to life a long-dormant fire, and the passion for theater was more than alive and kicking in her veins as it was.

She was certain, however, that it was _not_ going to help her land the role if she allowed her emotions to swamp her at this point—which they were coming threateningly close to doing as the seconds dragged by and she heard the crowd behind her murmuring in a way that heralded Inuyasha's approach. She prayed to all the Kami her grandfather had drilled into her memory that he would ignore her, fail to notice her, or whatever reason for him to simply pass her by. She wasn't certain how she felt about seeing him now—not when the fight with Koga was still fresh in her mind, along with the lingering implications of it.

**_Why did they fight?_**

She felt honestly insane, torn between the antagonized feeling building in her chest as she resigned herself to his presence during the audition and the wild desire to flee from this place—from _him_—and forget about what Mrs. Ikari or anyone else would say. Sango was turning in her seat, and Kagome closed her eyes in despair as she felt Sango's arm wrap around her shoulders in a protective gesture, the muscles there tense and decidedly aggressive.

"Good morning, Kagome."

_**How** could he be so **cheerful?**_

Taking a deep breath, she tilted her face up to look at him as he stood on her right, a predictably arrogant smirk on his face. He looked well and rested, not a single inch of him giving away that he'd been ripped into by a pair of very nasty youkai claws barely forty-two hours before. He wore a fresh white statement tee and dark jeans with his Chucks—a look that was failing miserably at being generic. Inuyasha would stand out no matter what he wore (or didn't wear), and not just because of the white dog ears on his head that were twitching every now and then.

"Good morning, Inuyasha," she said carefully, keeping the reeling agony in her chest tightly leashed. It was painful, having him there, and she wondered with a flash of anger if he was doing it on purpose. Was he there to sneer? Drop a few snide comments? She decided she didn't care, and steeled herself for the inevitably abrasive remark that was bound to drop from his lips within the moment.

His expression faltered for an instant, and a slight frown built on his brow. His eyes narrowed searchingly on her face, which went completely slack from shock when he actually sat down next to her and took her hand.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his claws gently handling her right hand, which she realized was stiff and clammy. "It feels like you're being tortured."

"I'm fine!" she hissed on reflex, jerking her hand away from him and fixing him with a dark glare. "Would you stop doing that? _Some_ people don't appreciate nosy pricks digging into their feelings!"

He bared his teeth, all good humor dying in his eyes as she shoved his concern into his face.

"Well, _excuse me_ for picking up on the agony you have all over you like your nasty cologne! _Some_ people aren't as insensitive to the feelings of others—_they_ actually realize when someone's worried about them and make an effort to soothe their concerns!"

Kagome flushed deeply at that, embarrassed at what he was suggesting and ashamed of herself for biting his head off _if_ he was indeed concerned.

"Don't you _dare_ give me that crap about caring about me, Inuyasha!" she growled, clutching her burning hand as she firmly concluded he was playing with her. Inuyasha _didn't_ care about anyone—himself excluded, of course—and any allusion to him worrying even a smidge about her was insulting when she felt herself so deeply affected. _Why **does** it matter so much if he's teasing me or not?_

"Fine!" Inuyasha snapped, swallowing the burning ire and fixing her with a cold look instead. If he'd picked up anything from being around Sesshomaru, it was a much more effective—and dignified—means of showing one's displeasure. He couldn't afford to make a scene here—not when it could give the guild the wrong impression. Once he was in the play with Kagome, _then_ he'd think about curbing her annoying tendency to be mean to him at the wrong times. "Excuse me, then, Kagome. I have better things to do than chitchat with you."

He stood suddenly, looking for the life of him like someone who'd been deeply wronged, and she grit her teeth painfully when the people around her took one look at him before turning to give her a reproachful one.

_Son of a bitch! He's going for the sympathy vote!_

She watched him walk over to a seat several rows in front of her, where he sat down and waved casually to the ecstatic guild member on the panel, who was actually making his way through the crush to get to Inuyasha. Supremely annoyed and more than a little fearful—_What if he's against me because I bitched at Inuyasha?_—it took her a moment to register that Sango's grip was now painful. She turned to question her friend when she realized the girl was looking at someone to their right.

It didn't take a genius to guess who.

"Hello, Miroku," she said flatly, wondering if he was part of the reason that Sango was such a dreamer today. It was unlikely, given that Sango's expression was often black as a storm cloud—like it was now—whenever Miroku was concerned, but still...

"Hello, Kagome," Miroku returned easily, but his eyes didn't leave Sango's face. He looked utterly serious, which surprised Kagome, and she wondered if it would be wiser to relocate herself for the time being. Tension was crackling in the air between them and she did _not_ need it now. Not when she already felt an incredibly compelling urge to walk up a few rows, tell the gay guild member to buzz off, and pick up her argument with Inuyasha. A sticky, persistent sense of guilt was clawing at her chest and her carefully composed nerves were going insane from its ministrations.

"Is there anything you need?' Sango asked, in a tone that had more edge to it that normal.

Miroku shook his head. "Just wanted to say hello...and good luck today. Are both of you auditioning?"

"No," Kagome answered for her, when it became apparent Sango wasn't about to reply. She gave Miroku a genuine—though apprehensive—smile. "Just me. Thanks, Miroku. I'll own I'm a bit nervous."

He turned to her at last, giving her a smile of his own, though the look in his eyes made her squirm as the guilt intensified. "Probably why you kicked Inuyasha in his balls so early into your conversation," he commented dryly. He looked at his friend—who was nodding absently at whatever Jakotsu was saying—and gave him a sympathetic glance. "I'd best calm him down and say you're sorry."

"_I am not!"_ Kagome denied violently, grabbing his arm when he actually started walking. "Miroku, don't you dare!"

"Yeah, sure you aren't," Miroku teased, his fingers reaching to pry hers off. "Come on, Kagome, you've got the look of a smart kid caught cheating, so don't tell me you aren't. He's sincere about you, you know. He respects you too much to lie." Her fingers tightened but he caught the way her shoulders slumped slightly and a miserable look crossed her eyes as she seemed to acknowledge her guilt. Patting her hand soothingly, he decided he'd better play it smooth if he wanted to keep his arm. "Hey, relax, okay? Inuyasha's used to you, so I don't think he'll be mad long. Just try to be a little bit less distrustful of him and leave it to me, okay?"

"How _can't_ I be distrustful of him?" Kagome asked wearily, loosening her grip and wondering gloomily at how she'd dug herself into this sad little hole. To think that one day she'd feel bad about being mean to Inuyasha. "He hasn't done anything to be credible in my book."

"Just trust me, okay? I respect you, too, Kagome, and I'm serious. Inuyasha's not nearly as awful as you think he is, and I don't get to see him react that way a lot. Besides, you two need to get along. If you both get in—and there's a fair chance you will—you're going to be around each a lot more often."

That floored her. Suddenly light-headed, she relied heavily on Sango for support as she tilted back and breathed in disbelief.

"Inuyasha's auditioning for the play?" she whispered, swiveling her head to eye him again, her eyes ghosting over the bored confidence he was exuding as his guild admirer prattled on happily.

Miroku's mouth tipped up into another smile and he winked at her. "I don't think you need to ask why. Just make sure not to let him know I told you. He's going to accuse me of ruining his 'super secret master plan.'" Rolling his eyes, he turned to Sango and nodded, his expression sobering somehow. "Sango."

"Miroku," Sango returned, her expression somewhat calmer as she struggled to hide the approval that was shining in her eyes. Kagome knew that her friend wanted—was _trying_ to want—to stay angry at Miroku for whatever new act of lechery (at least she _assumed_ it was lechery) he'd committed—and was failing miserably now that Miroku was being characteristically his kind and benevolent self. Kagome sighed to herself, wondering what Miroku's problem was. It was obvious that the only thing standing between him and Sango was that part of his personality. If he wanted Sango as badly as she was sure he did, why couldn't he just tweak that part of himself so that he could finally get his girl?

_Men are stupid._

Her eyes turned once more to Inuyasha and thought the same thing over again. With much more emotion.

If he cared so much, why wasn't he being serious _and_ up front with her?

_Maybe he only knows how to do up front._ She pursed her lips. _Stupid bastard...grrr...damn you, Miroku, why do you have to go planting thoughts like that in my head just before something important?_

_"I don't think you need to ask why."_

Resolutely shoving that statement out of her mind, Kagome gave Inuyasha one last glare before burying herself once more in her script.

_To hell with him. So what if he's auditioning?_

---

"God above, _why_ did I agree to do this?" Jakotsu muttered under his breath as the guild called for a break. Three hours of not exactly the best of the hopefuls marching onto stage punctuated by only two ten-minute breaks and he was finding it decidedly hard to remain objective.

"Because Inuyasha is auditioning," Rankotsu answered, overhearing. He scanned his copy of the list before giving his friend a comforting pat on the back. "There, there. You should be glad we screen randomly and not on an alphabetical basis, or he'd be auditioning days from now."

Ayame stretched languidly in his chair, inwardly sighing though outward he maintained his open expression and smile. Out of the first fifty people he had only marked two who could possibly be secondary characters after a little more training. Someone who could cut a main role he had yet to see, and he stared almost ruefully at the list of the people auditioning for that day. He didn't know how he'd feel if they got through that list without finding a single person meant for a role, and he turned to his cousin, who was considering his copy with seeming interest.

"Something I missed?" Ayame asked, leaning over to compare his notes with Shigure's. He wasn't surprised that Shigure had crossed out everyone who'd gone on stage so far—being the writer, he was much pickier about who got to fill in the roles—but with the way Shigure was looking, he was beginning to wonder if he was going to change his mind about someone after all.

"No—just this," Shigure replied, absolving all of Ayame's speculations about that, and he poked his pencil at the name of the person who was slated to audition next—number 223, Kagome Higurashi.

"What about her?"

Shigure shrugged, tapping his pencil idly. "Eri's strongly recommending her for Valentine's role. She was supposedly very good once upon a time. However..." He cast a careful look in Jakotsu's direction, making certain that the Instant Inuyasha Reactor was otherwise occupied before continuing seriously. "I'm getting apprehensive over the possibility of having her in the play with—" in case Jakotsu's radar was particularly strong that day—"You-Know."

"Who _is_ You-Know auditioning for anyway?"

"Well, Kurama wasn't as specific. He just asked for a copy and said he'd leave it to Inuya—er—_You-Know_—to pick out who he wanted to be. Apart from that he just gave him a few basic tips. The guy catches on pretty fast, apparently."

"That's a good thing. I don't see what you're so worried about. If both of them are good enough to be in the play, then we practically won't have to advertise. Those two being together in there will bring up so much controversy that I'm ready to bet that no one will _not_ see the play."

"If you say so," Shigure acceded with a smile. "There's someone else who's auditioning that might make this interesting." He tapped the list again, singling out another name that was not too far down from Miss Higurashi's.

Ayame's brows rose. "Well, well. I was certain that he was sent on a Europe-America scholarship to pick up soccer skills. Let's see if he picked up any thespian qualities with all that culture he was exposed to."

Shigure nodded thoughtfully, putting asterisk marks next to the three names that were of interest to him. Checking his watch he motioned to one of the members of their technical crew.

"Inform Miss Higurashi that she's up next, would you?" he requested absently, digging through his bag for a copy of his script. Eri had pointed out what scene Kagome would be performing, and despite his staunch stand on not having any preconceptions, he reviewed the dialogue and let his mind erect the framework of the performance that would bring the text to life.

_I've got to hand it to her_, he conceded, folding up his script and sitting back to brood as the minutes ticked by. _She didn't choose an easy part to play._

---

"Miss Higurashi?"

The tech paused and took a second look at the girl he had approached, thinking himself to have been mistaken. The Kagome Higurashi he'd gotten to know through the grapevine and a few run-ins did not have a greenish tinge to her skin, perpetually pursed lips, and pupils so dilated her eyes were almost black.

When she didn't reply and simply continued to stare at him as though he were hiding an axe behind his back, he wondered vaguely if he was supposed to start yelling for a medic at this point.

"Um...Miss Higurashi?" he repeated worriedly. "Are you all right?"

Her lips parted and he actually saw the blood rush back into the capillaries beneath the fragile skin.

"U—" Whatever she was going to say came out as a croak and she clamped her mouth shut again, clearing her throat and visibly shaking herself, her hair falling into her face as she swung her head from side to side. He could only give her a sympathetic look as she pushed her hair back and gave him a weak smile. "Sorry," she murmured in a hoarse voice. "Butterflies, you know?"

"I'd say a colony of red ants, in your case," he quipped critically, though with a kind smile. "I guess you know why I'm here then."

She gulped audibly, casting a look around. "I-I'm next?"

He nodded in affirmation. "We start in five minutes. When they announce that everyone should settle, just go up to the stage via either staircase." He gave her another measuring look. "Will you be all right?"

She nodded distractedly. "I'll be fine. It's just that my best friend isn't here with the drinks yet and I feel like I've eaten sawdust."

"Ah. That's normal, I suppose. Um...my name's Suikotsu and I'm part of the technical crew. If your friend doesn't show and we begin to settle, just stop by the left stage entrance on the way up—I'll have a glass of water for you."

Her gaze focused on him at that and a warm smile lit her features, transforming her gaunt countenance into a healthy visage within the second.

"Thank you," she said feelingly, squeezing the hand he'd extended as he'd introduced himself with gratitude.

"No problem," he assured her with another smile. "Good luck."

Kagome watched him leave and glumly resigned herself to the emotions that were tearing her apart inside. _Three more minutes_, she told herself. Three minutes to indulge in the glorious chaos engulfing her entire body before she would seek the sanctuary of calm with determination. Then she would push aside all insecurities, all other trivialities that would brook failure. Failing meant not doing her best, and even if she didn't get into the play after giving it her all, she'd still have succeeded. She'd have to make do and find another way around Mrs. Ikari. It was simple.

For now, however, she allowed herself to cringe and panic at the alarming rate of hot-cold her body was going through. If she'd been a thermometer, the mercury would be bouncing from one end to another like a ping-pong ball and she wondered absently how long it had been since she'd ever felt this nervous. Trying to remember seemed like a futile exercise of desperation brought about by cold feet and instead she watched as the words on her script jumbled and rearranged themselves haphazardly before her eyes.

_This is worse than I thought_, she thought with even more distress as she failed to remember her lines halfway through the dialogue.

She looked up into the sea of competition and criticism before her, and whether or not it was a boon from God or not, her eyes locked onto a pair of shockingly intense, fiery amber orbs. Whatever was in his heart and mind at that moment was unclear to her, and the only thing that registered was that whatever it was it was causing a strange, smothering pressure to build over her chest. Her racing heart squeezed and began to drum a sluggish beat, the air seemed thicker the passage to her lungs seemed blocked.

Which was why she gasped when a powerful hand closed over the curve of her left shoulder and a familiar voice shot into the haze of her mind.

"Do your best up there, babe."

_Koga._

Kagome tilted her head back to look at him, his clear, sharp eyes digging into her own with a different kind of intensity—an intensity she actually understood. She saw his concern, his confidence, and his want swimming in the deep ocean of his eyes and felt the pressure sharpen into actual pain and sadness. Her mind grasped wildly for reasons to explain Koga's presence here—the surprisingly difficult to believe chance that he'd come just to show support and the agony of a suspicion that seemed all the more plausible.

"If you don't, I'll have wasted time memorizing these lines," he chided with a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. "No way I'm joining a play if you aren't in it."

She closed her eyes, willed herself to breathe. Inuyasha had been looking at her. Was he still looking? Did he see her and Koga?

The unpleasant squeezing resumed in her chest and she stepped away from Koga, though the lack of his solid frame by her made her a tad woozy.

"You all right, Kagome?"

She felt him step towards her and she held her hand out, proving her action right when her hand came into contact with his chest. Shaking her head and pressing the bridge of her nose in a headache-relief effort, she turned towards the stage. Sango wasn't back yet and she saw one of the guild members moving towards the microphone, probably to signal for them to settle down.

"I need to go," she whispered, only barely certain Koga could hear her. "Wish me luck."

---

Glaring menacingly at the vending machine, Sango considered the wisdom of grabbing the nearby metal trash can and bashing it into the offensive device. True, there'd been an urban legend circulating years before that some hot-tempered man had been punished for a similar act when the vending machine mysteriously toppled over and killed him, but she was just about ready to take it on. It had eaten the last of her coinage and she wasn't about to slip any bills in after its failure to deliver.

"Bloody machine!" she snapped, kicking it viciously and grinding her teeth together when agony exploded from her sole to her knee.

A soft chuckle sounded to her left and she turned her burning eyes in the direction of the mean jerk who would dare laugh at a girl in such a predicament. Her hot cheeks positively shone red and she froze, knee suspended halfway up and both hands clamped over it.

"Forgive me for laughing, Sango," Akito murmured softly from where he was leaning, arms folded over his chest and dark eyes gleaming with both amusement and sympathy. "But what exactly is it that you're doing?"

---

"Koga," Inuyasha growled, tearing his arm from Miroku's automatically pacifying grip. It didn't matter that the wolf wasn't ready—probably wasn't even aware of Inuyasha's eyes on him. His claws were aching to be used; it felt like his nails were being pulled out every second that they weren't shredding into Koga's skin.

"Remember why this is important, Inuyasha," Miroku said sternly, rubbing his hand, which was stinging from Inuyasha's physically painful withdrawal. "You're here to get rid of Koga via another means."

"Another...means..." Inuyasha ground out like a forced mantra, mentally wishing he had Sesshoumaru's poisonous, acidic power. Melting the wolf into a sickly, gooey pile would probably be extremely gratifying, given that he would have the pleasure of seeing bit by bit of the bastard consumed, hear his agonized screams until the very last of him was taken in...

"Concentrate, Inuyasha," Miroku whispered. "Shouldn't there be someone else you're supposed to be paying attention to?"

His boiling blood froze, the daggers in his eyes withdrew as they snapped towards his raven-haired dream—the girl now ascending to the stage.

"She's up," he whispered, the importance of the moment crashing down onto him the very next second. Miroku bottled in a scream as his friend suddenly jumped him in a frenzy to take the script that was lying in his lap.

Blood was pounding in his ears.

_She's up._

_I'm going to find out which character she is._

_And so is the wolf._

He needed to get up there, needed to perform before his rival. He didn't have a smidge of faith in Koga's acting skills, but shit happened and he wasn't about to allow a fluke to stand between him and Kagome. He had to perform first—had to do so well that at the end of his performance they wouldn't think twice about who would be right for Kagome.

"Inuyasha—"

"Shut up, Miroku," he snapped, resolutely turning his eyes away from Koga. "I won't go after Koga."

_Koga may be blocking the way up to the stage, but who said anything about barreling through him to audition next?_

He found the red-lipped homosexual who'd been chatting him up earlier, swallowing his stringent dislike of the act as he swung his arm companionably over the gay's shoulder.

"Jakotsu," he murmured, lowering his voice an octave even as he gagged inside, "how would you like to see me...perform...?"

---

_Thud._

The sound of her own foot landing onto the panels of the stage felt harsh and ominous to her ears. The crowd was eerily silent, a mass of swarming indistinct shapes that her mind could not seem to draw into recognizable forms and faces. Her right fist clenched along with her heart, her mouth clamped together if no longer dry, thanks to the water provided by Suikotsu.

_Thud._

The panel was settling down—she saw movement along the long tables before the stage, saw the fluttering of pages as scripts were opened. A tall, silvery-haired man dressed in red was seating himself, accepting a paper cup from a red-haired woman. The silver hair triggered something in her mind, and her eyes fled desperately to the throng assembled before her.

_Thud._

Where _was_ he? Was he even now making his way towards Koga? Would they pick up where they'd left off the other day?

_Thud._

A mixture of emotions jumbled together in her chest. A part of her—the part that felt her clammy hands and strained nerves—was almost glad that they could very well end her torture and disrupt the stupid audition. Rationally, of course, she was also angry that they might actually take her academic honors from her with their antics.

_Thud._

She was furious at both of them for showing up at her auditions, their very presence two tons of weight on her already laden chest. She was horrified by the fact that they were auditioning for the play as well, frustrated with Koga and confused by Inuyasha. At least Koga was plain and simple about it—what did Inuyasha want? What had Miroku _meant?_ Surely not that Inuyasha was in it for her! In a sick form of punishment, perhaps, but...

_Thud._

She'd reached the center of the stage and she craned her neck to the side for Suikotsu's signal to begin. Instead she found herself looking into _his_ eyes.

_Thud._

Could Inuyasha be that cruel?

_Do you truly hate me that much?_

She stared into the hazy heat of his eyes.

_Why do I care?_

Her gut clenched and her jaws snapped together at this. At the pain something close to a white light exploded before her eyes and her vision was suddenly clear. She heard the sound of the audience milling before her, saw vividly the details of the people moving behind Inuyasha—among them Suikotsu, who was giving her the signal.

"Why _do_ I care?" she asked, her voice a mere wisp louder than her breath.

Inuyasha's brows snapped together into a frown.

"Why do I care?" she repeated, her head wheeling towards the audience, her voice now ringing towards the rafters as a suspenseful hush drifted down over the crowd. "A truer question you could not ask, my brother, my lord. And when you asked it before I gave you my only answer—I concern myself in your affairs with Olivia out of love for you. And while I still believe that what she has to offer you is but a candle in the sun of your love, if she is what you desire...the flower to be smiled upon by the sun..."

"But how is it that you bless my love for her when such bitterness for her is still in your heart?" came Eri's voice from the right side of the stage. "How can you encourage a union between someone you hate and someone you love?"

"When you can love more than you can hate," Kagome answered, her consciousness disappearing into the character of Valentine as Eri's feminine features blurred and Sota's face came into view. Sota and the first girl who'd dumped him, the girlfriend who'd underappreciated him...and the question of whether or not she'd urge Sota to carry on the painful relationship if his girlfriend gained an interest in...say...

Her heart squeezed underneath the barriers she'd set up around it and she pushed _his_ face furiously away.

She turned her face towards the crowd, moved forward to deliver a stage whisper. "And when you have your own heart in mind, as well."

"What was that?"

---

_What is this?_

Inuyasha blinked, the reality of the situation descending upon him with surprising force. He wasn't certain what he'd been expecting, but he _was_ certain that he hadn't been prepared for _this._ He'd been relatively sure that despite the gap between her years on stage she still had it, but he hadn't been ready to be blown away.

_Who **is** this?_

Surely not _his_ Kagome. Not the bitter, anguished creature conversing with Eri in Orsino's role, her heart ripping at her readiness to sacrifice Orsino to a woman she despised in exchange for Cesario. That girl had dissolved into Valentine, and until the time was up she was lost to him.

Bending his head he considered his script.

He had a hell of a performance to match, moreover upstage.

_All right, let's see...Valentine ends up with...**who!**_

---

"Perfect," Shigure whispered, his eyes gleaming with surprise—something that in turn surprised his cousin next to him. Ayame had rarely seen his cousin look floored, much less hear him use such a word in praise of an audition. He could understand, of course, given that admiration was probably shining in his eyes as well.

She was wrapping up, bowing to a sound of extremely appreciative applause from both the members of the guild and the still-to-audition audience. That was something, considering she'd just rendered a performance that they would have difficulty topping, technically meaning she'd just robbed quite a few people of a chance to be in the play.

"She's definitely _it_," Ayame agreed, already encircling Miss Higurashi's name with a flourish, relief spreading through his chest.

"We're going to have a problem, though," Shigure murmured softly, although he was also encircling Kagome's name. His expression was serious, the look in his eyes uncharacteristically tumultuous. In Ayame's experience, Shigure only looked like that when dealing with an extremely delicate Sohma affair or when he was considering with a serious issue of his art. Sincerely hoping that it was the latter, despite the fact that an artistic problem would weigh more heavily on the head of the theater guild, he leaned closer.

"Elaborate," he urged, giving Miss Higurashi a winning smile as she straightened up and began to move off stage.

"I'll tell you later, after all the auditions are up," Shigure said vaguely, waving him away. Distractedly, he turned to Rankotsu, pleased to see that he had also encircled Kagome's name despite the conflict in his mind over her part in the play. "Who's up next?"

"Well it's supposedly a certain Mr. Hakudoushi, but our unbiased friend over here—" He chuckled when Jakotsu gave him an indignant swat on the head.

"You don't mind do you, Gure-san, if I let Inuyasha audition ahead of everyone else?" Jakotsu inquired, hopeful stars shooting from his eyes. "It's just that he approached me and told me how he had something very important to do in a matter of moments but he didn't want to give up his slot at the auditions. He was so _earnest_, Gure-san, and even if he played it all cool I'm certain that—"

"Jakotsu, it's fine," Shigure said wearily, though he smiled. "Unfair, completely biased, but fine." He turned back to his cousin. "It'll be a good chance to see if he can top—or at least match—Miss Higurashi. In this case, Jakotsu's favor won't help him." He spread his arms out to the rest of the panel. "Who votes to disqualify Jakotsu's say in Inuyasha's audition?"

"_Gure-san, that's not **fair!**"_

---

"Son of a bitch," Miroku cursed rarely, laughing as his face contorted into amused incredulity. "Son of a bitch, you're really going to do this, aren't you?"

Inuyasha was walking out to the center of the stage. The crowd around him was slithering into a frenzy, the level of whispering building into a near-shattering cacophony. Despite it all his best friend wasn't even breaking a sweat—merely lounging comfortably on his heels as he waited for the guild members acting as impromptu ushers to shut the tittering, squealing, cat-calling mass of femininity (though Miroku was near to reversing that last part of his opinion as he saw more than a few males amongst the tickled throng) up. It surprised Miroku that Inuyasha hadn't swaggered in arrogantly as he'd thought he would. The hanyou maintained his magnetism, his confidence, but he'd miraculously left off his theater-size ego from the minute his silvery head had popped up on stage.

"Who are you talking to, Miroku-chan?" came a silky voice to his right.

"Asato," he greeted with a grin, his hands positioning themselves the instant she deposited herself onto his lap. She tangled her hands into his hair and nestled his face against her breasts, making him send a fervent prayer up to the sky that he'd be able to retain his sanity long enough to watch his best friend's audition.

"You've been here a while, Miroku-chan," she breathed huskily into his ear, dipping her head and tilting his face up into her neck. "And with only Inuyasha for company until a little while ago. Don't you want to go somewhere...else?"

"In a few more minutes, yet, Asato," he said hotly against her neck, his hands squeezing places that made her squeal. "If I leave now Inuyasha will probably be barreling in on us once he's done to berate me for not watching him."

"Who would blame him? You're his best friend."

His racing heart stopped and his blood abruptly dispersed from where it had been flooding down to. Pulling his face away from the heat of Asato's neck he turned to look behind him, where lo and behold Sango was seated, her left hand entwined with...

"Akito," he smiled, recovering himself. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I'd stopped by to see Ayame, as I missed him last time," Akito answered, smiling in turn, "and I ran into Sango again. I thought I'd watch her friend, Miss Higurashi audition, so I insisted to move up to the front. We'd have called your attention earlier, but Kagome's performance was so riveting..."

"It's all right," Miroku said easily. "I was pretty caught up, myself."

"We could see that," Sango snorted, earning herself a dark look from Asato, who was squirming beneath Akito's steady, cool gaze. "And speaking of seeing, could you guys please move...er...lower down? It's kind of difficult to look at Inuyasha from this point."

"Maybe _you_ could move?" Asato retorted snippily.

"And inconvenience Akito-san?" Miroku said lightly, though he winced inwardly when Akito's eyes flashed and a less than benevolent smile tipped his fine lips. Had he sensed the mocking tint in his voice? Deciding that he really didn't care, Miroku slid his hands beneath Asato's delicious derriere and promptly stood, making said woman giggle and wrap her arms around his head.

"What are you _doing?_" Sango hissed, flushing at their display.

"Moving, Sango, my dear," Miroku answered, carrying Asato further down several rows. Several people began whispering and giggling, and they'd earned themselves several censorious looks from both guild members and non-members alike before he settled them comfily on aisle seats. Above the curve of Asato's arm he saw Inuyasha staring at him and he wiggled his chin up to make his face visible, freeing his hands to give a thumbs-up and wink.

Inuyasha turned to the right of the stage, smirked in the first display of onstage arrogance, turned back to the crowd.

And blew.

---

Clutching a heavy stage curtain for support, Kagome tried to gain enough control of her shaking knees. Most people were back in their seats after finishing their auditions or on their way out depending on their performance. It was strange, considering Eri said she'd given a smashing act, but she still found it difficult to breathe and the strange sensation flowing through her body was making her parts act up by themselves. Her hands were still trembling and she felt impossibly light-headed, her stomach still fluttering from the impressed smile that Ayame Sohma had given her when they'd looked at each other.

It was still sinking in.

"You're in," Eri had whispered triumphantly into her ear before she'd disappeared into the voluminous backstage area, called away by one of the other members monitoring the readers to assist those auditioning.

_I'm in._

Her knees gave way and she sank to her knees, tears dripping down her cheeks in gratitude. She couldn't understand how she was so affected by that—perhaps she'd never truly grasped how important this was to her. Not just her grades and getting into the play...but theater itself. Getting in meant she was good enough...that no matter how many years had passed she still had it...

She wrapped her arms around herself, looking up as she remembered what had triggered her transition into her character. What had washed away all of her panic and stage fright and filled her with burning, albeit angry, determination.

_Inuyasha._

He was on stage, claws casually in pockets as he smiled at the noisy crowd. He looked completely in control, although shockingly...embarrassed? It seemed almost impossible. Inuyasha took fanatical adoration into stride—_expected_ _it_, even. It was hard to process him looking like he wanted the screaming mass to stop.

_Inuyasha._

Her brain jogged as she whispered his name to herself. Inuyasha was there...on stage. He was really going to do it. Her lips pursed as she contained herself. She wanted to yell at him, to demand what the hell he thought he was doing. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Why did he always have to keep messing with her head?

He turned towards her then, as though to rub things in more. The corner of his mouth tipped up into a smirk, a fang peeking out when he saw that she was glaring stonily at him. After that his face looked towards the audience and the smirk disappeared, those firm lips parting to speak.

Or bellow, rather.

"**OLIVIA!**"

The harsh sound made her jump, and she pulled back on impulse, arms raised protectively over her chest. Inuyasha was snarling furiously, stalking the stage like a wild thing that his composure of a second ago seemed imaginary. Whoever Olivia was—Kagome was so taken in by the raw anger on his face that it barely registered that Olivia was a character in the play—she was a strong woman indeed if she was actually going to face Inuyasha when he was like this.

"_**Where** is that godforsaken niece!"_ Inuyasha slurred dangerously, and she wondered dumbly if he was drunk. It would explain his frighteningly out-of-control behavior, but why would he come to an audition alcoholically-influenced? Not that she'd put it past Inuyasha to do something like that, but...

"Sir Toby, _calm down!"_

Kagome's head snapped back as a melodious voice from behind her reached towards the stage. A beautiful redheaded _male_ was walking past her onto the very edge of the stage, a script in hand much like Eri had when she'd assisted for Kagome's audition.

Meaning...

_Sir Toby._

"Of course!" she said with laughing frustration with herself, slapping herself on the forehead for her ignorance.

Inuyasha was playing the part of the drunk knight, Sir Toby. It was the last character she thought he'd aim for, and personally she believed it an off choice, but he was playing it extremely well. She covered her mouth to smother her laughter as he launched into drunken mockery of Malvolio (the character being read by the redhead), though a part of her was still reeling from the fact that Inuyasha could act.

_Inuyasha._

_Can._

_Act._

_I've stepped into a different world._

Seeing him on stage...the gales of laughter flooding from her lips...strength was flooding back into her limbs. The heaviness of her emotions prior to his performance was now being dispelled by it, by the very person who'd launched her into deeper chaos than the typical stage fright. He'd aggravated her half to death with his presence, his nearness, and yet minutes later he was making her laugh until her chest hurt and her hands began to get sore from clapping.

He still confused her, though.

Her mirth dispersed and she sobered abruptly as she considered the significance of his role.

_He's playing Toby._

_But...Valentine ends up with Toby at the end of the play..._

She turned away just as Inuyasha made an extremely off swing at Malvolio.

The roar of hilarious approval from the crowd made her want to yet again sink to her knees.

---

"I can't believe this is happening," Shigure whispered to himself as Inuyasha made his bows amidst thunderous applause. The guild members seated amongst the audience had formed a barrier as girls attempted to rush to the stage, screaming for more, and the writer wondered past his shock if this was the beginning of a very successful acting career for their hanyou discovery.

"Two finds one after the other," Ayame laughed, already working on his list. "Hard to process, eh, Gure-san?"

_"I told you he'd be great! **I told you he'd be great!**"_ Jakotsu was gloating at the top of his voice, smacking his list over Rankotsu's head in his tickled glee.

Shigure stood up abruptly, motioning to one of the techs least beleaguered by the rampaging crowd.

"What are you doing?" Ayame asked curiously, doubtful that his cousin was in need of coffee.

"Seeing if lightning hits the same place _thrice_," he answered, tapping his foot impatiently as the tech made his way to him. Pulling him none-too-gently over once he was in arm's reach, he whispered instructions that made Ayame's eyes crinkle with laughter. "While we contain this, would you please inform Mr. Ookami that he's up next...?"

---

_Fucking piece of cake._

Inuyasha heeded the frantic waving of the tech on the right side of the stage and walked briskly off it. Kurama was waiting for him, beaming in open approval, and even some of the guild members milling about began to clap when he appeared.

"You frighten me, Inuyasha," the tech (Suikotsu, was it?) was saying, laughing as he peeked past the curtain towards the ongoing chaos. "Any longer and they'd probably have been inspired to break through our guard."

"That was very well done," Kurama complimented, clapping him on the shoulder amiably, his green eyes warm. "You make all the drunks in the world seem like better people in comparison to you."

"Fuck you," Inuyasha laughed, enveloping the fox in a bear hug. Whistles broke out from the watching crew and Kurama pushed him away jokingly, looking mockingly disgusted.

"Please, no drunken kissing, too, Inuyasha," he teased, laughing harder when Inuyasha blew a raspberry.

"Seriously, though, thank you," Inuyasha grinned, shaking the fox's hand vigorously.

"You're welcome," Kurama said sincerely. "It was a worthwhile effort, now that I've seen you perform. Honestly, I was scared for you when you on the spot decided to play Toby. All the roles we've rehearsed so far have been leaning towards Sebastian and Orsino."

"Had to adjust my goals when my quarry changed position," Inuyasha replied with a shrug. Remembering suddenly, his eyes scanned the people about him. "Speaking of my quarry..."

"She was here a little while ago," Kurama said, turning to look around him. "She was even sitting down..."

"Yeah..." Inuyasha frowned, wondering where she'd gone off to. He was sure she'd been there when he'd begun, and not a little bit insulted at the idea that she hadn't sat his performance through. But something pricked at him—and it had much to do with the vague scent of salt lingering in the air, and the shimmering on Kagome's cheeks earlier that told him it wasn't sweat. When she'd been on her knees at the edge of the stage, looking at him, she'd looked angry and disturbed.

And now that he thought about it, she'd been crying.

"Fuck," he said, his jubilation over delivering what _had_ to get him into the play dissipating as something in him howled at the thought of Kagome crying.

"Wait," Kurama said suddenly, arm shooting out to block his path. Before Inuyasha could call him out for it, he was turning the hanyou in the direction of the stage. "Look who's going to audition next."

**Further Author's Notes:** Well! What did you think! ;P

To my non-member reviewer, since I can't pm you, here's my thanks. ;P

_fire_: Hope this chapter didn't drag for you and thank you for letting me know what you thought about the last one. ;P Let me know what you think about this one! ;P


	11. Drama, Drama, Drama!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own, just wish I did. :P

**Author's Note:** Had a bit of trouble with this chapter actually. But before I move into that, may I clarify a few things. This is **important**, so please read. :P You don't have to worry about Kurenai Sohma, who I'm entering in this chapter. She's from my other story, _Mistaken Identity_, and in there she's actually Shigure's daughter. Here, however, I'm making her another one of the many Sohma cousins, and she'll fall into the Akito/Sango subplot more than the main one. There won't be anything between her and Inuyasha that you'll want to kill me for, so when you read their encounter later on, resist the attempt to flame, hehe. :P If you want to learn more about Kurenai's weird character, just browse through _Mistaken Identity._ Contrary to what you may think, that is not a shameless plug...not completely, at least. :P

I'm actually a bit worried...I think I've lost quite a few readers since my last gap between updates, no matter how long I make the chapters in order to atone for it...sigh ...c'mon, guys, let me know you're still out there.

Chapter 11

Drama, Drama, Drama!

Kurenai Sohma resisted the urge to do a 180 and head for the nearest Starbucks. The cafeteria was another option, as well as the University's Health Center, where the pharmacy had a good supply of Enerva or Extra Joss, and all manner of energy drinks. What was important was getting enough caffeine or _some_ form of energy support into her system before her head hit the steering wheel and she went to sleep _permanently._

She was running late on a promise, however, and if she was going to miss it then her best excuse would be crashing her car. Not that she planned on doing so, but not doing so obligated her to do her damnedest to make it in time. Koga had been calling her cell phone frantically for the past ten minutes, and she wasn't about to pick it up and read the dozen or so (judging by the number of "Mistress, you have a message" recordings that had popped out of the speakers) messages he'd left her.

Why she'd ever made the promise she wasn't entirely sure anymore. Koga had seemed desperate at the time, though she'd felt no obligation to help him at first. They were only vague acquaintances, after all, having met during one of the numerous soccer games she'd attended when a friend had been the team's manager. Perhaps it was because Koga was getting involved with the theater guild and she'd seen it as something she could do alongside her main purpose.

Rounding the bend that brought the theater into clear view, she inwardly cursed Akito and his sudden bouts of paranoia. For head of the household he had very little faith in his family members, irregardless of the fact that they were constantly bowing to his will, no matter how erroneous in nature. Her petty little "important task" was more spying on her two favorite cousins than anything else, and she deeply resented the possibility of discrediting herself in Shigure and Ayame's books for it. Why Akito would ever dream that Ayame or _Shigure_ would be plotting to upset his authority over the other Sohma holdings, Kurenai could only speculate. So they didn't visit as much as they used to. Maybe if he stopped bombarding them with accusations and out-of-this-world interrogations they'd feel more welcome.

But duty was duty, and her parents had maintained that she had to soothe Akito's fears instead of giving him reasons to have them. When she'd shown the slightest flicker of disagreement with him he'd rounded on her and subjected her to a full hour's worth of furious indictments about her rallying alongside Shigure and Ayame. The stark look of betrayed hurt and fear in his eyes had made her want to scream and beat some sense into him—which she'd attempted when they were younger and something similar had come to pass. It had been her who'd made him believe that no one was trying to unseat him and that everyone still cared for him then, and thus she was naturally nominated to accomplish the feat a second time.

Everyone still cared for him, one way or another. Kurenai had to admit that she did, even after all the trials he'd put her through for the most ridiculous reasons. He was possessive and paranoid and impossible to please, and he clung to her and other members of the family in a manner very much unlike a head of a household, but he was being honest when he said he loved them.

In a sick, twisted way.

It wasn't something that could be helped, and she'd come to terms with it after her parents had hauled her off a bleeding Akito and explained to her exactly why she had to be kind and gentle with him. Being the head of the Sohma household was a coveted position, but it didn't come without a price...and Akito would pay for it in full, whether he wanted the position or not to begin with. He had never been given a choice to become what he was, and in that she saw the root of all his pain and darkness.

It was her duty—in the name of the love that lived between them despite everything—to cast what light she could into his life.

Hence, she was embarking on yet another mission to ease Akito's misplaced fears. She was going to prove to him yet again that nothing was wrong, and she was going to do so as smoothly as possible. Shigure and Ayame would be more than displeased if they knew the real reason for her sudden presence at the guild, and so Koga was a necessary element of her plan.

Her phone rang again as she cruised into the parking lot and she swore violently, venting her pent up frustration by smacking it off the headboard onto the floor of the passenger's seat. She saw the upper part of the casing detach and the bright blue light went abruptly off. Taking a deep breath of satisfaction, she turned back to the road to ease into the parking slot—

And almost screamed.

Her foot slammed onto the break on reflex, sending pain shooting up her sandal-clad foot, and the seatbelt jerked painfully into her chest, robbing her of breath. Within the next millisecond the airbag was inflating and stemming any hope of inhalation, and she groped blindly for the lock of her seatbelt and the lock of the car door. She pressed frantically at the seatbelt's unlock button and had barely managed to hear the satisfying click before she slammed her shoulder into the car door and tumbled out.

It took her a full five seconds to breathe and another ten before her vision ceased to darken. She didn't care that she was wearing a crisp white blouse and camel slacks, or that her makeup had probably smeared on the airbag. As she pulled herself to her feet and winced as she put weight on the bruised foot, her livid gaze sought out the cause of all her troubles.

_"You!"_ she hissed, injured foot forgotten as she stomped over to the young woman who was staring dazedly at the car, sitting smack in the middle of the parking slot. _"What the bloody hell is wrong with you!"_

"I...I..." she stuttered, pretty brown eyes fluttering torpidly as she looked from Kurenai to the car. "I..."

_"You walked right in front of my car, you suicidal dolt!" _Kurenai screeched, stamping her foot and then hopping about angrily, almost howling with agony as renewed pain spread through it.

"I...I did?" the girl said dumbly, a slender hand raising to her forehead.

Still holding her abused foot, Kurenai stopped and glared down at her, the logical, fair part of her mind that remained unaffected by the pain reasoning that it was just as much her fault than the girl's. If she had been looking at the road and not eyeing her swatted cell phone with such smugness, things might not have turned out so drastically. Conceding that, she crouched down slowly, her hand reaching out to tip the girl's face up.

"Do you even remember _anything?"_ she asked seriously, worry about the girl's safety and anger at her own stupidity washing her consciousness of the pain away.

"N-No...not really," the girl responded, lowering her eyes ashamedly. "I...I was too busy thinking."

"Thinki..." Kurenai's incredulous statement trailed off as she registered the moisture on the girl's cheeks. More of it was pooling in her beautiful eyes, and her teeth were digging cruelly into her bottom lip as she fought the evident need to cry.

Acting on impulse born of years of experience with Akito, Kurenai forgot about the state of her shirt and hugged the girl close, making shushing sounds as the girl buried her face into her shoulder and sobbed not a little loudly. Her hands fisted into the material of Kurenai's blouse and her small shoulders heaved with sobs.

"I-I-I'm...s-sorry..." she mewled. "I...d-d-didn't m-mean to g-get in your w-way..."

Kurenai flinched guiltily and hugged the girl closer, deciding to use her last resort whenever Akito was at the point of hysteria that could no longer be reasoned with. It was a power she had gained from her mother, and it was risky in the context that she had many years to go before she perfected it. But the girl had obviously gone through tremendous emotional strain before the little near-accident, and the stress of what had just transpired had only doubled it. Being the empath that she was, she could feel the fragmented parts of the girl's self-control as surely as if they were her own, and reaching out she closed her fingers around the girl's mind.

Immediately the girl stilled, and Kurenai paused, wondering if she had brushed a level of consciousness that she shouldn't have. Even now, with the limited contact she'd made, a foray of images were parading before her mind and a flurry of the girl's emotions were seeping into her chest. Tension and a strange jumpy sensation in her stomach...the scream of applause...Ayame smiling up at her with approval? A deep-seated fear, and anger because it was provoked...a familiar-looking boy's face, his golden eyes filled with a confidence that made her knees weak...

"Get out of my head," the girl said with a sudden calmness.

Kurenai blinked and realized she was now staring straight into the girl's face. She had pushed away sometime in between the transmission of her thoughts and feelings, and was now regarding Kurenai with both curiosity and apprehension.

"Excuse me?" Kurenai inquired politely, not retracting her consciousness from the girl's. It was an extremely off possibility that the girl was psychic in a degree similar to her own, and perhaps she had meant the statement in a different sense.

"Your mind..." the girl said tentatively, her face clouding with confusion even as she said it. "I...I know you're using it to do something. When you pulled me close I felt as though something was pushing everything down...and it's worked. I don't feel insane anymore...but I can also feel you're in here...somewhere..."

She considered the girl quietly for a few moments. There still weren't any signs of her being something anywhere near psychic, but she had to be _some_ kind of different if she sensed Kurenai's influence over her state of mind.

Removing her hold on the girl's mind, she gave her an apologetic smile and stood—wincing only a little this time. Her hand reached down to help the girl up, and she accepted the help with a soft, small smile.

"I—"

"Well—"

"You first," the girl said earnestly, dusting herself off and looking at Kurenai with still-bright eyes, though she was grinning at her in a valiant attempt to be cheerful.

"I'm sorry I screamed at you like that—and almost mowed you over," Kurenai said sincerely, reaching out to take the girl's hands. She eyed the tear tracks on the girl's face with a mixture of sympathy and anger at whatever—or _whoever_—had caused it. "You look like you've had a hell of a day."

"More or less," the girl answered with a shaky laugh. "And _I'm_ sorry I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings. It's my fault, too. I would've yelled, if I were you."

"You want to sit down for a bit?" Kurenai offered, the girl's fervent nod making her forget whatever it was she was supposed to be doing.

"Er..." the girl gave her car an uncertain glance.

"Trust me, it'll be fine on its own for now," Kurenai reassured her, steering her towards the sidewalk.

There was a little park off the side of the theater dedicated to the theater guild's founding member. Ayame had often taken her there when she was in the area, if only to make her listen to him rant about how much more inspiring it would be if _he_ were the one up on the pedestal in the midst of the small fountain. A gazebo was off to the side, but the girl obviously preferred the fountain, and they settled on the cool white stone. The medium-sized trees and the well-kempt bushes hid the parking lot from view, though a great deal of the theater was still visible.

"Thank you," the girl said suddenly, breaking the peaceful silence that took only a second to sink in. At Kurenai's gentle lift of her brows she flushed embarrassedly and looked down at her hands, fidgeting uncomfortably. "For whatever it is you did to me. I—I feel better now."

"Good," Kurenai approved, smiling only a little self-mockingly. "I was about to say it's all right for you to slug me. Most people don't appreciate me 'tampering' with their minds, though I assure you it's hardly tampering. More like lending you a part of my own steadiness until you can calm your erratic thoughts and feelings by yourself." She shot the girl a dubious glance. "Then again, most people don't sense that I'm in their heads to begin with."

"Yes," the girl admitted, her blush leaving a pretty stain on her cheeks as her brows contracted and she seemed to consider the idea seriously. "I'm not entirely sure how I knew. I don't think I'm psychic or anything like you, but I could feel that you were there somewhere." She looked up with mild assessment. "Please don't take offense...but what are you, exactly? You're not...you're not a demon, are you?"

Kurenai stifled a groan as a part of her she'd been certain had been asleep up to this point stirred.

"Er...no, I'm not," she answered, laughing nervously.

_Not in the conventional sense, I guess..._

"Huh..." Kagome replied with a doubtful look that told her she was still worried and not entirely buying Kurenai's reply.

"I'm an empath," Kurenai explained, deciding it was better she knew the lighter part of the truth. Her abilities weren't exactly what one would call "light", but the other part of her reality was several hundred tons heavier and harder to digest than simply being psychic. "I can pick up mostly on whatever's going on around me, whatever thoughts and emotions other people have."

The girl's eyes bugged out. "Omigod, that's so _cool._"

Kurenai smiled. "Not all the time. Especially not when you're in a crowded place or an area where there's been a lot of people. Imagine what it's like with dozens of thoughts and feelings swarming your body and your mind." She shuddered in memory of earlier days, when her powers had been young. "It's...not really pleasant. I had to learn to put up shields...filters around my mind that blocked out other people unless their feelings or thoughts were particularly strong, or directed towards me."

_Now if only I could block out one in particular..._

"That must have been hard for you," the girl said with sympathy, reaching out and squeezing her hand gently. "I take back what I said."

"Don't—it _is_ cool, on occasion. It's a very useful thing, once you've got in control. That was even harder to do than protecting my mind. When I was younger, I'd reach out and do things to other people without knowing it. Like if I was feeling particularly angry with someone, or annoyed about something...well, it was a good thing my mother was on hand during most of those times. I got the ability from her, you see, and she's helped me a lot. She knew from the minute I was born that I had it, so she took care to raise me to not let myself get carried away with my emotions. She drilled it into me to always think things through, especially when it counted." She stuck her tongue out sheepishly. "I guess today counts as one of the days where I lost control."

"Well, not everybody can be in control all of the time," the girl said comfortingly. "I think you handled things very well, actually."

It wasn't exactly true, and even the girl knew it, but the words were meant kindly, and she grinned and gave the girl a friendly hug.

"Thanks," she said genuinely. "I'm glad I was able to help you—although my help had to come after almost killing you."

The girl laughed, clearly now. Careful not to brush her consciousness again, Kurenai drew in from the vibes the girl was sending out that she was really feeling much better now.

"Don't worry about it. Something _had_ to snap me out of that daze."

"Speaking of which," Kurenai said, suddenly remembering what she had seen from the girl's mind, "I saw my cousin's face in your head. He wouldn't happen to be the reason you're crying, would he? Because if he is, I'll beat him to a pulp. That guy takes his influence on the ladies far too lightly."

The girl's brow crinkled up in confusion once again. "Er...your cousin?"

_Idiot._

"Ayame Sohma," she clarified.

"You're Ayame-sempai's cousin?"

_You **idiot.**_

"Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself," Kurenai said with an embarrassed blush. "Kurenai Sohma."

"Nice to meet you!" the girl said excitedly. "My name's Kagome Higurashi!"

_Kagome..._

"...Higurashi?"

Suddenly the second silver-haired, golden-eyed figure in the girl's mind clicked into Kurenai's recognition, and she stared at the girl with now comprehending eyes.

"_You're_ Kagome!" she exclaimed, unable to believe that she'd nearly run over the girl who'd sent the rumor mill into overdrive over the past week.

Obviously, her reaction was a wrong move, for Kagome flushed hotly and lowered her head.

"I don't think I want to know what you've heard about me..." she muttered self-consciously.

_Point._

"You're right," Kurenai agreed bluntly. "You don't. But you should know that from my cousin's end it's been nothing but excited speculation, and from some others praise. You really shouldn't worry, because either way it doesn't color my opinion of you. I was just thinking how awful it would have been if I'd actually hit you with my car and dragged us both into an even juicier bite for all those wagging tongues."

Kagome laughed again, and Kurenai—as well as the part of her she deeply disliked—found that she liked the sound of it.

"It would have been really awful," Kagome agreed. "I'm glad, though, about what you said when it comes to listening to stories about me. There are more than a lot going around now that make me want to scream."

She was unhappy again, and while Kurenai didn't want to further that unhappiness, she also believed in the miracles of communication and having things out in the open.

"It's all to do with Inuyasha, huh?" she ventured impulsively.

Kagome's face fell, but she nodded. Her hands came up to smooth over her face wearily.

"He confuses me," she began before shooting Kurenai an arch look. "But you already know that, don't you?"

"I do my best not to pry," Kurenai said primly, her eyes laughing.

"Well then, now you know." Kagome splashed the fountain's water none too gently. "He's such a jerk, and there are scores of sobbing girls in his past to prove it, but there are times when he acts really nice. He makes it look like he cares, then like he only cares about _that_, then—"

"Clarify what you mean by 'that'."

The girl turned positively vermillion.

"_You know_," she whispered, swatting Kurenai's arm impatiently.

"Sex," Kurenai provided helpfully.

Huffing, Kagome shook her head to clear her mind of graphic images that she inadvertently tossed in Kurenai's direction. Blocking some stimulating scenes from her own mind—though the ever-annoying part of her wanted to pounce—she focused on Kagome, and what the girl was saying now.

"He shows up at my audition today, going for the character that ends up with mine in the play," Kagome finished unhappily, lifting her wet hand to smooth her bangs back. "I don't know what he's trying to say, but I don't trust him. He just wants me to believe his interest isn't skin-deep."

"Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't," Kurenai said lightly, offering Kagome a supportive smile. "You're not exactly helping yourself by thinking it through the way you're doing. You can take it or push it aside, but my advice is that you stop trying to understand his motives and just focus on what's outwardly important until you're ready to face all those supposedly underlying messages. For example, if he's auditioned and you both get into the play, don't stress over what it means so much. Just concentrate on working with him as a fellow actor."

"Treat him professionally, you mean," Kagome was nodding thoughtfully.

"Exactly. In other words, don't jump the gun every time he acts in a way that confuses you. Just take the action or the statement for its superficial meaning and you'll save yourself a lot of pain. When you're ready to deal with all of it, or when he brings it out in the open, _then_ trouble yourself with handling it."

Kagome grimaced. "Knowing Inuyasha, he's bound to bring it out in the open sooner than I'd like. But you're right. I shouldn't take him too seriously. If I play things lightly, he's bound to keep things light as well."

"That's the spirit," Kurenai chuckled, throwing her arm over Kagome's shoulders companionably. "Besides, there's a chance he might not make it into the play, you know. I was just being hypothetical when I spoke of it."

Kagome shook her head. "He's in for sure. I saw his audition, and the applause was even louder than mine."

"Oh...well then..."

Suddenly the dreaded voice in her head piped up, proving her suspicion right when she'd assumed he'd merely kept silent because he'd been too busy listening.

**_Looks like you've forgotten an important detail in all that gossip you've heard about Kagome Higurashi and Inuyasha Takahashi. The brawl that took place in the cafeteria the other day was over Kagome, one of the combatants being Inuyasha, and the other—_**

_Koga._

She'd completely forgotten about Koga.

"Looks like you're feeling better now," Kurenai stated, pulling away from her new friend.

"Yes, I am," Kagome affirmed, smiling. "Thanks. You were a big help, and I owe so much to you for listening to a stranger."

"Well, we're not strangers to each other now," Kurenai pointed out. She cast a look in the direction of the theater and parking lot. "Will you be all right? I've got something to do in the theater, you see, and I'd like to stay with you but I doubt you'd want to come in."

"I'm fine here, thanks," Kagome assured her, though her head tipped to the side. "What are you going to do in the theater?" Her eyes gleamed excitedly. "You're not auditioning, are you?"

"Far from it!" Kurenai stuck her tongue out playfully, though she was sober within the second. "I'm reading for someone who's about to audition."

"Oh?"

_Please don't ask, please don't ask..._

"Who?"

A dark chuckle reverberated through her mind.

"Er..."

**_Liar, liar, pants on fire...or at least smudged with asphalt..._**

"Um..."

Kagome gave her a puzzled look, her eyes clouding with worry in a way that made Kurenai slump her shoulders wearily.

"Koga."

Kagome's expression froze somewhat and Kurenai resisted the urge to peek into her mind and see if the word "bitch" or "traitor" was blinking there in bright red letters.

"I...see."

"Believe me, I am sincerely regretting agreeing to help him," she said somberly. Bracing herself, she went on to ask the dreaded question. "You're not angry with me, are you?"

Kagome shook her head instantly, though her troubled expression didn't lift as much as Kurenai would have liked.

"I'm not," she insisted, catching Kurenai's expression, reaching out to give her a hug. "I'm sure you have reasons, and we didn't know each other when you made that promise. I think you wouldn't have if you knew how I feel about my situation with Koga."

"I could have guessed," Kurenai said darkly, resenting herself and the situation that had prompted this situation. "The rumor mill's very clear about your situation with Koga, though there are some who are betting you'll give in to him in the end."

"I hope they didn't bet too much," Kagome quipped mirthlessly.

Kurenai gave her shoulder a final squeeze. "I'll check up on you later, all right?"

Kagome smiled. "All right."

---

_Koga._

Despite his staunch determination to keep his cool, Inuyasha barely suppressed a growl as the wolf took his turn on the stage. There were catcalls and, to Inuyasha's extreme disappointment, the annoying lack of boos, making him somewhat dislike the masses that had cheered him on earlier. How could they be so appreciative of someone who was the _enemy_ of someone they _adored?_

_Bloody traitors..._

"Who is Ookami playing?" Kurama was asking Suikotsu, who was tapping his clipboard impatiently.

"He's winging it, too," Suikotsu replied with a grin in Inuyasha's direction. It was gone in an instant, however, and irritation flashed in his eyes as he glared down at his list. "Now if only his reader would show up, we'd officially have the most interesting audition day in the guild's recent history."

"Maybe he decided to go with a different character than they'd rehearsed, so the reader's adjusting," Kurama offered with a pacifying smile. "I had to, when Inuyasha suddenly decided to go Toby."

Inuyasha flexed his claws, wondering if it would count as the wolf's audition if he were to jump Koga and do one of the fight scenes. Only they wouldn't have swords, and they would actually be spilling blood, and they would be snarling more than speaking...

"Sorry I'm late," came a low, female voice from behind them, cutting into his thoughts with its resonance so that even Inuyasha felt compelled to turn and view its source.

"_Finally_," Suikotsu quipped, rolling his eyes but smiling good-naturedly at the tall young woman who'd materialized at his side. Her ebony hair was pulled back in a severe high tail, bringing her pale golden face into sharp focus. Her eyes were a study of dark blue, and she smelled...

_Strange._

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd show up," Suikotsu continued, peeping at the audience again and signaling to the ushers to shut them up. "Miss...what was it again?"

"Kurenai," she provided with a flashing smile that gave Inuyasha pause. There had been something about that expression that looked like it didn't belong on her face. Her eyes were too dark, too serious for a smile so exuberant, and he made a mental note to check up on her when he had the time. If Suikotsu didn't know her it meant that she wasn't a member of the guild, or if she was then she wasn't someone of importance for the tech to take note of. He turned to Kurama and felt his trepidation increase at the sight of his friend's face.

He looked honestly angry. And not a little bit afraid.

Inuyasha wanted to ask him what he knew that would twist the usually unreadable kitsune's face with such stark emotion, but a part of him held back. Kurenai hadn't acknowledged him in the slightest since she'd arrived, but instinct—ego, some would accuse him—told him that she _knew_ he was there.

And she was watching him.

Another reason that made her sink deeper into his D list was the fact that she was smiling encouragingly at Koga, who then proceeded to flick his brow at Inuyasha in a smug gesture before his straight, confident stance changed slightly and he moved towards the couch that served as stage props, weaving dangerously.

_Wait a minute..._

There were tickled whispers from the crowd that spoke of tickled glee than disapproval, causing the crawling suspicion in Inuyasha's gut to intensify and the urge to rip Koga into pieces to triple.

The wolf crashed inches from where soft cushions, swearing in a deep, guttural voice that spoke of too much liquor and one too many cigarettes. The sense of triumph that had filled Inuyasha minutes before was leaking away into fury, prompted more than anything by the mounting sense of dread. It didn't take a genius to realize who Koga was playing, and by the delighted roar from the crowd and the shattering applause as the wolf tried feebly to crawl onto the couch he had more than a little going for him.

"Damn," Kurama swore, and it was evident that he was annoyed simply because he was _impressed._ "This could be trouble for you, Inuyasha," he continued frankly, his green eyes hard. "I still think your performance was great, and you're definitely in the play by my book, but looking at this..."

"I get it," Inuyasha bit out, nodding grimly in acknowledgment of his friends words. There was a very good chance that both he and Koga would be in the play, but as to who got to play Toby, the odds had definitely tipped in the wolf's favor.

Kurenai was walking onto the stage, hands on hips and her honey-smooth voice lowering to a threatening pitch and hardening into something akin to steel as she expressed her outrage. Inuyasha vaguely registered that she was playing Maria, Olivia's cunning lady's maid, and as she hauled Toby—_Koga, damn it, not **Toby!**_—to lie properly on the couch Inuyasha stifled a groan.

He seriously wanted to destroy something. If it he hadn't auditioned for the same goddamn part, even _he'd_ be laughing at the wordplay between Koga and Kurenai. There were lines that he knew weren't originally part of the script, but they only helped to amplify the humor of the conversation. The fact that Koga could adlib successfully...

Suikotsu burst out laughing at a particularly witty quip from Maria, and Inuyasha's anger was diverted from his nemesis almost entirely as something else occurred to him.

If he was completely honest and fair (well, _almost_ completely honest and fair), he could accede that Koga was an excellent athlete, particularly on the soccer field, where his talents with the ball made up for his pointed lack of good looks. He was passably smart—Inuyasha wasn't about to believe that someone stupid could claim to be his nemesis—and probably had a few redeeming qualities Inuyasha couldn't see that made him enough competition for Kagome.

Acting, however, could not possibly be amongst them. Koga was a dirty fake and liar, but Inuyasha could see through him any time, he was sure of _that._ The fact that he could barely distinguish between Koga and Toby now was a testament to a skill that Koga must have acquired from someone else completely. And who else could that someone be?

"Kurenai," he growled, just as the girl delivered a punishing blow to Koga's head and stamped her foot in exasperation, her calculating demeanor dropping in the face of Toby—_no, _**KOGA!—**'s drunken incomprehension. She swore at him darkly before turning on her heel and flouncing off stage, leaving Toby to speak to himself amidst the giggle-filled applause of the audience.

Inuyasha had eyes only for the dangerous unknown. The fact that Koga could very well have upstaged his performance didn't bother him as much as the person responsible for it. She was walking towards him now, amused eyes trained straight on his as Maria dropped off the face of the earth and Kurenai resurfaced.

"You called?" she asked mildly, flipping her hair back in a casual gesture that infuriated Inuyasha even more. She seemed to be _glad_ he was angry...

"Who the hell are you?" he snapped, barely keeping his voice in control. In the darkness of his wrath suspicion was wreaking even greater havoc on his composure. How had she heard him grind out her name from where she had stood? The center of the stage was a good twenty-five feet away.

She blinked at him innocently, her brows raising. "I beg your pardon?"

"What's your part in all this?" he went on, his tone rising dangerously as he ignored the apprehensive looks Suikotsu and the other guild members were giving him. He didn't give much of a damn anymore—not when the audience was too busy cheering Koga on. They wouldn't even notice.

"In all _what_, exactly?" Kurenai replied, her hands on her hips in a stance that told him he was crossing a line and she wasn't backing down now.

_"Getting Koga into the play!"_ It was an outburst that made Koga pause amidst his bows. Inuyasha was oblivious to this as he tried to keep in mind that 1) Kurenai was a girl, 2) Ripping into her could destroy all his chances, and 3) Something about her was more dangerous than she let on—and it wouldn't be wise to tangle with her until he could sniff it out.

"It's none of your business what I choose to do," Kurenai answered coolly. "And I'm still not entirely sure what you mean by me 'getting him into the play.' He's relying on his own talent and it'll be up to the panel to decide. All I did was read lines."

"_Like hell!_ You coached him and we both know it! Do you even know what you're doing, giving him that kind of proximity to Kagome! She's the only reason he's auditioning and I _doubt_ she'd be happy if she found out he was in it!"

"And you think she's happy because _you_ auditioned?" Kurenai said with a smirk that made Inuyasha freeze. Her eyes had lost all humor and her gaze shot sharply into his own, making him feel like she was prying forcefully into his mind. Mild pain was beginning to slither about his temples and he resisted the urge to place his hands over his head to make the crawling sensation stop. But Kurenai wasn't finished, and he stared at her unflinchingly as the expression in her eyes changed—still somewhat brittle, but softer nonetheless. Her jaw was also less tense, and when she continued her tone was more quiet than anything else.

"You don't know, do you?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest and looking away. The feeling of invasion dissipated almost at the same moment. "It's one of the questions that you should always consider before you decide to do something, Inuyasha."

"Don't lecture me," he warned as she neared a nerve. "It's not like Koga considered Kagome's feelings when he decided to audition for this, either."

"Well at least he's certain about his feelings for her," she responded in a pointed manner that made him bristle in affront. His mind refused to consider the implication of her words even as it sank in, though he staunchly determined that he didn't have the time nor patience to analyze the damn girl's cryptic words. Who the _hell_ did she think she was anyway, criticizing him like that?

Kurenai turned away from him, tilting her face towards Koga, who was no longer bowing and was looking in their direction with a mix of aggression and concern. She waved cheerily at him before she turned back to Inuyasha, heading off his furious outburst before it could leave his lips.

"I think it's only fair that I give you an opportunity to ascertain yours," she said pensively. A small smile flitted briefly over her lips. "Consider it an olive branch for my 'part in all this.'"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes suspiciously. She had three things against her at this point: she was definitely more than she let on, ergo she was shady and untrustworthy, she helped Koga further his plans, and most importantly, she dropped too many dangerous lines and implications for his liking. He wasn't about to say that she saw too much, because if she saw anything in Inuyasha's actions or demeanor, she was seriously misinterpreting it. If she thought he was confused about Kagome, she was off by a mile. He knew exactly what he felt for her and what she would be to him. To insinuate any different pissed him off just _because_, though a part of him insisted that if it had been any other girl but Kagome he wouldn't have cared. Let goddamn Kurenai misinterpret his feelings all she liked because it wouldn't change a thing.

_Kagome's a prize to me_, he repeated firmly. _Nothing more, nothing less._

"Well?" he shot at her when she remained silent, making her smirk.

" 'Well' what?"

_That is **it**._

For the second time that day, Kurama's hand prevented him from lunging forward. His gaze swung up accusingly at the kitsune before it registered that Kurama didn't seem too pleased with Koga's odd accomplice either. If anything, he looked more like the dangerous youkai Inuyasha knew as Makai's Greatest Thief. Kurama's eyes were a gold similar to his own, and his red hair didn't seem too red at the moment...

"As amusing as this game may be to you, Miss _Kurenai_," Kurama said in a voice octaves lower than his usual melodic one, "it's become tiresome for me. I suggest you tell Inuyasha what you have to say before _I_ decide it isn't worth all this nonsense to hear."

Kurenai's eyes darkened almost into black, though simultaneously something seemed to spark in their depths. Her head snapped towards the stage just as Koga was walking off it and towards them, and she sighed irritably before turning to Inuyasha.

"She's in the little park past the parking lot," she informed him in a brisk undertone. "If you're both going to be in the play than you'd best deal with this now." Her eyes flamed with warning. "_Don't_ make me regret telling you."

Inuyasha was gone before she'd finished, and she heaved another irritated sigh before she turned to stall Koga.

It was such an effort that she missed the green-gold eyes still narrowed on her figure with deep consideration.

---

"I do believe that I should come to auditions more often," Akito was concluding softly, looking at his hands in astonishment. Sango noted the slight redness on his smooth white palms—a telltale sign that he had been clapping much harder than he probably would have admitted.

"I don't think they're as successively explosive as this," Sango remarked with a smile. "Your cousins are very good showmen. If the auditions were this good, I can't imagine how great the play will be. I'm pretty sure that after those three acts things will start winding down a bit. I almost feel sorry for the people that have to come after them."

"All's fair." Akito's shrug was delicate, his expression indifferent to the girl walking up the stage to audition.

Sango considered his profile for a moment before nodding, settling back in her seat to watch. Apart from her earlier prediction, it was getting more and more difficult to focus and sit still because a good ten minutes after her turn Kagome wasn't back yet. She surmised from the fact that Inuyasha and Koga hadn't emerged either that the three stars of the day were probably receiving briefings for their roles at the very moment. Which was still probably unlikely because Koga and Inuyasha had tried for the same part. Giving rise to a different conclusion, one that made her tighten her grip on her seat. It was a no-brainer to assume that Kagome plus Koga plus Inuyasha made the formula for the A-Bomb, and with the two males going for the same role the tension would be past high.

_Think, Sango,_ she rationalized, casting a covert look at Akito. _No need to ruin a perfectly good time and react aggressively over nothing. If they were slaughtering each other you'd probably know. Sure, the backstage is pretty big, but how far would the guild members have allowed them to go? Just take it easy..._

The girl auditioning wasn't bad, and she managed to keep herself from being overshadowed by the preceding three acts, if anything else. Nonetheless, she didn't hold Sango's attention as well as she might have, for no matter how hard she rationalized her instincts urged her even harder. All was not right, and she knew she had to be somewhere else, but...

Something held her there. Admittedly, it had much to do with the long white fingers currently twined with her own and the dark-eyed angel next to her who was observing the performance. Sango had to acknowledge, despite the galling amount of guilt that came with it, that Akito made her hesitate. There was darkness in his glamour, but despite it she let him have a hold on her, let a simple look from him or a small smile make her think that Kagome could handle herself and it was perfectly all right to stay right where she was.

"Akito," Sango whispered, telling herself she had to get herself out of it. If she didn't she would probably regret it the moment Akito left, and in view of the fact that Akito wouldn't be around her much (Or would he?), she was going to have to square with her instincts and her conscience on a long-term basis.

"Hmmm?" he turned to face her and she was almost lost.

"I...um...think I need to go check on Kagome," she said breathlessly, barely managing not to squirm when his thumb began tracing circles over her skin and his gaze became half-lidded.

"Now?" he asked, without any indication as to what he felt about it.

"Well...i-it's b-been quite a while since she finished," she mumbled, her head ducking to hide her flush as his thumb began circling the calluses around her palm.

"Mmmm," he assented, lifting her hand to his lips and giving it a soft kiss. "Just don't be long. I was thinking of leaving soon. If you find Miss Higurashi, she's welcome to join us for lunch."

"I...yes." She nodded and gave him a shy smile before sidling out of her seat, pausing thoughtfully in the middle of aisle as to where she should enter. The easier entrance to the backstage was up through the stage itself, but that couldn't be done without calling attention to herself. There were other entrances, but those could be accessed only by guild members or cleaning staff, and she'd have to go all the way to the main lobby...

_No hope for it then_, she concluded grimly, walking over to the end row so that she could go around the crowd and approach the stage as inconspicuously as possible.

Which proved to be extremely unnecessary, for in a second that seemed to flip things in her favor, the entrance only a few feet away from her was slapped open, and a face she was appallingly happy to see came into view.

"Just what are you trying to do, Kurenai?" Koga demanded furiously, causing more than a few heads to swivel in their direction.

The tall young woman next to him leveled him with an icy glare, and her low voice was sharp enough to carry into Sango's hearing.

"Koga, the only reason I agreed to accompany you back here was because you said you would behave. If you call any more attention to yourself, I promise I'll give everyone here a performance they'll never forget. And believe me, you won't like it." Her dark blue eyes seemed to flash silver in what Sango hoped was merely a trick of the light.

"Fine," Koga crossed his arms, in a move that Sango viewed as surprisingly wise, though his eyes retained their charged aggression. "Forget what I said about watching the rest of the auditions. I'm just going to go and sniff that fucking hanyou out, since you won't tell me where Kagome is."

"Koga," the girl sighed wearily, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Where is she?" Koga persisted forcefully. "You can't possibly believe that sending Inuyasha off to be alone with her is good for anybody."

"Koga, your relationship with Kagome is an issue completely separate from Inuyasha. Their problems remain unresolved. I think Kagome settled her issues with you a long time ago. Isn't that why you left?"

"Bitch!" Koga snarled, and Sango's hand jumped instinctively to reach for a weapon that wasn't there. She moved closer, but as the darkness in the strange girl's eyes seemed to swirl, she became uncertain as to whom she was supposed to protect. "What the hell do you know about any of that? If you're not going to tell me where the dog went, stay the fuck out of my business!"

"I have absolutely no concern for you, you impudent fool," the girl replied coldly, undaunted by the fact that Koga seemed very near to ripping into her. "Kagome is the only person I'm thinking about in this mess."

"Then we're on the same side," Sango ventured as boldly as she could, mustering up her courage as the girl's gaze swung to her, eyes suddenly clear and filled with stark surprise. The clouds of danger seemed to have lifted somewhat, and she approached the pair a little more easily. "I'm Kagome's best friend, Sango, and I was just about to go looking for her. She isn't in trouble, is she?"

"Now that this genius sent Inuyasha to her, she's in neck-deep," Koga snorted derisively.

"If ever that turns out to be a mistake," the girl answered hotly, "at least I won't add to it by sending another imbecile to her."

"How could you honestly think—"

_"Guys!"_ Sango cut in desperately, feeling as though half the audience had diverted their attention to them now, her eyes roaming over the swiveling heads. "Could you please cut it out or take it outside?" Her eyes fell on the girl, whose face seemed to have suddenly turned into stone, Sango's expression earnest. "Look, I'm sure you have a good reason for telling Inuyasha where Kagome is right now. But if Kagome's in some sort of trouble that she wouldn't be back here almost a quarter of an hour after she's supposed to, I'm going to have to insist you tell me."

"And if she insists, I'm going to have to as well," came a silky voice from behind Sango.

She didn't need to glance to see that Akito had come up to her side. His fingers ghosted over the line of her shoulders before they settled on her left one, and she looked up to see him smile amiably at Koga before turning an outwardly pleasant gaze on Kurenai. Something about it made Sango shiver unpleasantly inside, but he was siding with her, wasn't he? She had absolutely no reason to be disturbed.

"My, my, Kurenai," he rhymed teasingly, "still causing so much trouble, aren't we? You're stealing so much attention from the auditions that Ayame and Shigure won't be very happy with you. Don't you have better things to do?"

"Of course, Akito," the girl named Kurenai nodded stiffly, her cheeks flushed with apparent embarrassment—or was it anger? Sango belatedly remembered that Akito was head of the Sohma household, and if her demeanor was anything to go by, the girl was obligated to do as he willed. It was obvious that she didn't want do so when she turned to Sango and briskly said, "She's in the park by the parking lot, just thinking a few things through."

The door slapped against the wall again as Koga rushed out.

"Thank you," Sango said with sincere gratitude, hesitating over whether or not to thank Akito. It seemed right, as his influence had given her the answer she needed, but actually appreciating the somewhat unjust hold he had over somebody else seemed equally wrong.

"Just keep an eye on Koga and it'll be thanks enough," Kurenai said shortly, turning away from her and blowing out a frustrated breath as she held the still-swinging door open. She had the barest glimpse of his deep blue shirt before he'd rounded the corner and she gave Sango an aggravated look. "And please, do hurry."

Sango smiled apologetically before dashing out the door in turn, leaving the two cousins in each other's company.

Akito admired the curve of his cousin's profile as she watched Sango go, reveling in the resentment in her eyes as she looked back at him and let the door swing shut. He gave her a sweet smile, his anger at the disruption of his plans with Sango ebbing away when he considered the fun he was about to have with his favorite cousin.

"I'm so glad you decided to drop by," he crooned, walking up to her and taking her hand. "Things were beginning to be so boring."

"I'm sure," Kurenai said sarcastically, though she didn't object to his touch. Instead her fingers curled around his own and she allowed him to guide her out of the theater and into the hall.

"Since you don't seem to mind slacking on your duty," Akito said mischievously, leading her down at a relaxed pace, "let's forget about Ayame and Shigure for now. There are a few paintings in this school's museum that I'd like to show you...among other things."

---

Kagome knew she was still partially brain-dead when she concluded that it was a good thing she'd almost been hit by a car. Rationally, it had been a dangerous situation that could have been fatal, but it had born delicious fruits in form of her new friend Kurenai and the clinging sense of clarity things had now. True, the latter could probably still be attributed to Kurenai's power and her advice, but Kagome felt the need to distinguish between the wonder of the woman and what she had left in her wake.

She was so _right._

Why did she stress so much over Inuyasha anyway? If he was someone who wouldn't bring much good to Kagome's life, why did he have to be so important? Why did she keep giving him the power to influence her, to affect her?

A part of her was rising to answer, but the part that championed being strong for herself—the part that Kurenai had rejuvenated—resolutely shoved it down. What was important that she _wasn't_ going to do those things anymore. She wasn't going to give Inuyasha the opportunity to affect her, because that could very well open up into an opportunity to hurt her. Once he had a way in, no matter how small, he had a venue to channel his will and wreak havoc upon her. If she presented to him a smooth, flawless shield, with nary a crack of aggression or defensiveness to show she was affected, she'd be effectively cutting him off from her.

But what about showing appreciation and sincerity? Would she have to nix those, too? Was she supposed to be a marionette around him, not responding in any way to his advances? Surely Kurenai had meant only for her to parry Inuyasha's moves instead of hitting back, not be completely unresponsive to him.

"There you are!"

_Perfect timing_, she groaned inwardly, despite her resolutions. Couldn't they have been given even a little time to solidify? She felt raw and vulnerable even if she was certain everything was in order in her mind, and having to deal with Inuyasha so soon was like salt on a fresh wound, though it could also be considered a test.

"Hey," she said with a tentative smile, rationalizing what Kurenai had meant by "treat the action superficially." If Inuyasha was nice, she'd be nice. If he was a jerk, she'd be a jerk. No need to analyze the why's and the so what's of things.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" he asked crossly, walking over to her from where he'd emerged through the bushes. She waited for him to reach her and plop himself next to her unceremoniously before she replied.

"Just thinking about a few things," she answered honestly, noticing with amusement the leaves that had tangled themselves in his fine hair. Her spirits were soaring with the realization that her heart wasn't aching if she didn't think about things too deeply, as Kurenai had advised, and she bit back the need to ask why what _he_ was doing there. Instead, she gave in to the impulse to pluck the offending greenery out—a move that she would've normally thought as too encouraging of intimacy between them. It was now all right as long as she took things lightly, let him know that she didn't feel awkward around him because she had no reason to.

_We're nothing special. He's not special enough to be an enemy or anything else, so treat him as nicely and politely as you would a mere acquaintance. If he plays things right, you could even modify that to "friend"..._

"Couldn't you have done it in the theater?" he wanted to know, though his voice was less harsh than usual. He was looking at her carefully, and she wished she'd thought to wash her face so that he wouldn't see the tear tracks. Though it wouldn't mean anything if he asked...

"It was too noisy with applause," she explained lightly, and deciding to take the first step in shielding herself from his barbs, she gave him a playfully accusing smile. "I think I have you to blame for that."

His brows lifted and his eyes rounded in a comical expression of surprise, but a second later he was smirking smugly at her and waving his hand dismissively.

"Yeah, well," he brushed off. "You can't exactly blame _them_ for loving how I act."

She burst out laughing at that, and inside she wondered how easy it was to handle things this way. To simply disregard all implications and deal with what was there. Sure, she didn't appreciate his bigheadedness, but it was much more enjoyable to laugh at it than to rile at him for it. And it wasn't exactly as if he were bringing anyone else down in his quest to praise himself.

_"What?"_ he demanded indignantly.

She shook her head, still smiling. "I just think that you'll make a great drunken knight."

"Let's hope so," he grumbled, suddenly moody. He glared down into the fountain, as though its bubbling waters offended him. "Your bloody wolf auditioned for the same part and what can I say? He's way more unrefined than me, and the role isn't acting at all for him. He could get the part and just be himself. Bet _that_ makes you happy, eh, Valentine?" he spat murderously at her.

_Breathe_, she reminded herself when her vision swam red. _Remember, don't let him get to you. Just treat him lightly. If you open up and let everything out, he'll have a way in._

"It really doesn't make a difference," she said half-truthfully. Whoever she got as a partner she would still have to deal with someone who was showing interest in her, though dealing with Koga meant dealing with someone she understood. Inuyasha was a whole other matter, but it would never do to admit it.

"Really?" he snorted. "How so?"

"Well, firstly, the roles haven't been cast yet, so there's no point in thinking about it until they are," she smiled. "Koga could very well get Sir Toby, but I might not be Valentine. I'm sure you two were really great, and I doubt they'd take me on after comparing my audition to yours. It might've been good, but there could be others in the guild who are better and who have more experience."

He was silent as he considered that possibility, then he shrugged sharply and looked away.

"Don't be so negative," he snapped gruffly. "Fake modesty turns me off. We both know you were spectacular."

There was a deep silence after that, punctuated only by Inuyasha's irritated sigh when he caught Kagome's wide-eyed expression, followed by the swishing of his hair as he turned away huffily. Kagome could practically hear the wheels in her head scraping against each other as they struggled to begin turning, begin actually digesting what had just happened.

_Inuyasha just gave me a compliment._

The delivery was way off, and there was an insult in his statement as well, but his point boiled down to a compliment.

_A._

_Compliment._

"Thank you," she said a little awkwardly, pulling herself together to give him a sincere smile. Pushing away her reluctance (because reluctance made things awkward), she put her hand on his shoulder, keeping it there despite the way he tensed and his head snapped in her direction. "Thank you," she repeated evenly.

His eyes narrowed, and in true Inuyasha fashion he blurted out something that threatened to upset her smooth-sailing boat.

"Something's different about you," he said suspiciously, twisting towards her so that her hand fell away and he leaned in closer. "Are you sure you're all right?"

The heady scent of him reached her nostrils and she felt instantly weak. She clung desperately to the image of Kurenai, whom she had come to regard as an idol and a mentor within a matter of minutes after they'd met, and suddenly felt ill all over again—sick at the way just a few inches nearer to him could destroy her sense of security and control. Why did he have to make her feel so damned _weak?_

"Kagome?" he asked softly, and she stopped herself from shying away when his hand reached up suddenly to cup her cheek. If she did that, she showed she was affected, and if she was affected...

"I'm all right," she laughed, albeit shakily, tugging at her ear in an attempt to relieve herself of the need to fidget awkwardly. "The audition just rocked me a little more than I thought it would. I can't remember a time I ever felt so insecure and scared."

"You're a lousy liar," he said quietly, and her eyes widened when his other hand suddenly reached for the hand tugging her ear. Her heart slammed against the cavity of her chest with agonizing force before racing on painfully as he leaned forward, pulling her arm over his shoulder and splaying his fingers so that he held not just her cheek but her jaw as well. Her free hand came up automatically to his chest to stop him, ending up crushed between them as a result of being unable to do so. His hot breath skimmed over her ear and she shrieked and jerked violently in his hold when his fangs abruptly connected with her soft earlobe.

"Inuyasha!" she gasped, all pretense of pretending indifference lost as her mind gave way to panic and the electricity that shot through her nerves at what he had done.

"Do you know," he whispered into her ear, his voice rich with amusement as he released her cheek and cupped her head, "that a telltale body sign of someone in the middle of lying is insistent ear-tugging?" He inhaled deeply, and when he continued speaking his voice was hoarser than before, paralyzing her even more. "Not that I needed to see that to know. I know your scent, Kagome, and I can tell when it changes. I can smell it on you, Kagome. Something's wrong that you're not telling me."

"D-Don't be ridiculous!" she insisted fervently, squirming futilely against him. "Jeez, can't a girl be shaken up over something now and then?"

He laughed at that, his chest rumbling against her own so she shivered as warmth spread through her chest.

"Fine," he acceded gently, releasing her so abruptly without warning that she very nearly collapsed into the water. The smile he gave her was predatory in the extreme, and no amount of "Don't take him too seriously" remarks in her head could make her shrug it off as nothing. "You'll tell me eventually, anyway. We're going to be spending a lot of time together once rehearsals start, Kagome."

"Don't set yourself up for disappointment," she warned darkly, glaring at him as she straightened up. "I told you that there's nothing to tell."

He gave the tracks on her cheek another speculative look before he raised his smoldering eyes to hers, all amusement suddenly vanished.

"I'll be the judge of that," he said with a finality that more than irked her, but a sudden commotion from the area of the parking lot saved her from ruining her resolve and yelling at him.

_"Kagome, are you all right?"_

"Koga, take it _easy! _You're ruining the plants!"

_"Kagome!"_

"Wonderful, that damn Kurenai let the bastard loose," Inuyasha cursed, his expression becoming fouler than was usual.

Kagome blinked at the name and the adjective, however before she could question him as to how he'd met Kurenai and why his opinion of her seemed quite less than favorable, Koga was racing into the clear, Sango not far behind.

"Get away from her, you bastard!" Koga yelled, and Kagome felt her heart clench in dread of a cafeteria incident replay.

"You idiot!" Sango shouted, and Kagome bolted forward as she saw her best friend launch herself at the wolf.

The result was Kagome racing to a stop before she could trip over the scrambling mass of limbs that was Koga trying to reach her and Sango trying to pin him down.

"Koga, stop it!" Kagome cried as dirt flew up to make a cloud alongside bits of grass and flowers.

"Kagome!" Koga froze, his eyes showing deep relief, and in a move that made Kagome nearly scream he twisted Sango's arm and threw her off, jumping to his feet and reaching for her.

Before she could stop herself, Kagome's palm was connecting with Koga's cheek. Pain shot up to her elbow but its effect was lost to her as fresh tears spilled down her cheek, her wrath and frustration, as well as the effect of Inuyasha's deliberate flustering, caught up with her.

_"You idiot! What do you think you're doing?"_

"But Kagome..." Koga reasoned, his expression stunned and not a little bit hurt. His eyes clouded with pain and anger, and he glared at Inuyasha, who seemed to be the only person happy with the situation. "What have you said to her?"

Kagome bit back a scream and clenched her fists so tightly she felt her skin break beneath her nails.

"_Not **him**, you idiot! **Sango!**"_

"Huh? Sa...oh." He stared at the girl who was lying in a heap several feet away. Realization struck him and his face lost its angry color as his eyes widened in concern and fright. He rushed over to her, only to be stopped by a sizeable rock crashing into his head moments before he reached her.

Kagome screamed as she saw blood, and her knees gave way. Strong arms were wrapping around her in a second and she felt her feet leave the ground a second before she lost sight of what was happening, her face pressed against a solid heat. The familiar scent invaded her senses and she clung to it, closing her eyes and burrowing into his warmth as a chill voice rang into the air.

"Don't touch her, you careless fool."

Kagome's heart stopped and her eyes snapped open.

_Is that...?_

"Show up _after_ your precious girlfriend's been hurt," Inuyasha sneered, cradling his Kagome carefully against his chest, his arm supporting her back even as his hand massaged her neck soothingly. "Some hero you are, Miroku."

His best friend's eyes turned positively glacial. Inuyasha had been too pleased at the hurt Kagome had inflicted on Koga to bother picking up much else in his surroundings, so he had to admit to a little surprise at Miroku's sudden appearance. His reaction Inuyasha was _not_ surprised about, however, and if he wasn't certain Miroku would kill him for it, he'd clap his hands with glee at what had just occurred. Not that he was _happy_ that Sango had been hurt, but he was indefinably pleased something had finally pushed Miroku into showing the affection he kept under impossibly tight guard. After all, it was clear the girl liked him. It was just too bad that she had to get hurt to push him into showing he liked her back.

"That's not funny, Inuyasha," he stated in a flat voice, though his expression was as turbulent as a stormy sea. He turned away without further word and walked over to where Sango still had not stirred.

Inside the theater, blessedly unaware of what had just taken place, Shigure and Ayame came to a decision.

**Further Notes:** To my non-member reviewers, my word of thanks:

_Charlotte Smith:_ THANK YOU! ;P That's about the nicest compliment anyone's ever given me about my writing, and it came at just the right time! ;P I hope this chapter came soon enough for you, even if it's still later than I promised, and I really hope to be hearing from you soon! ;P THANK YOU! ;P

_aya-kun:_ Hehe, thanks! ;P I'm always worrying about my being detailed sometimes getting _too_ detailed that it's boring, so I'm glad to know you appreciate it. :P Hope to hear from you soon! ;P


	12. Compromise

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha n'est pas propriété de moi._

**Author's Note: **I know, I know—_one week overdue!_ I'm so sorry about that, guys—so much had to be done. Examinations are looming and I've still so much to do, so after this there'll probably be a gap of another three weeks, but don't feel too bad because by next chapter we'll have more Sango/Miroku, definitely more Inuyasha/Kagome, and for those who've been waiting for her, Rin! Just hold on a little bit longer, okay? I hope you enjoy this chapter and make sure to leave me feedback, okay? It really helps get me thinking and in the mood to write.

Toodles, have fun, and take care! -smooch-

Chapter 12

Compromise

The infirmary was often a busy place, with visitors from both within the university and without. While it was campus policy that only students, faculty, and staff of the university could access its benefits, it was common knowledge that as of late the health center accommodated anyone as long as it was able, whether school professor or loitering ne'er-do-wells from across the street. It hadn't been a gradual shift, and it hadn't begun amongst the actual physicians, either. It had begun with the acceptance of a single intern, who had afterwards become extremely popular because of his work. The upside was that his coworkers became more like him and the health center became a better place as a whole. The downside was that more often than not the people (usually from the estrogen-loaded sex) flooding the infirmary had health problems that were either faked or self-inflicted.

This was why the famed intern had resigned himself to another four hours of shotgun sobbing, completely unnecessary birth control inquiries, pap smear requests, and all manner of treatment and testing more suited to a female physician. Two hours into his shift and he was torn between blessing the Kami for his peace and wondering with apprehension as to the whereabouts of his usual clients. What could be going on in the world that nobody was coming? Did some cataclysmic comet just pass that man would heretofore forget his violent and careless nature? A faith healer was in town? Maybe the girls ran out of excuses for having to visit.

Nonetheless, when the sound of delicate chimes filled the air a pair of mossy green eyes lifted from an intense study of a medical report, observing the infirmary's newest visitors cryptically. Lowering the report the tall young man got to his feet and approached them without questioning, immediately moving towards the unconscious young woman that his acquaintance held in his arms.

"Fall?" he asked seriously, his hand encountering a sizeable lump as his fingers felt about her head.

"More like throw," Miroku replied grittily, the tone so unfamiliar that his acquaintance looked up in surprise. "Will she be all right, Hatori?"

"We'll have to see," he answered in turn, keeping his voice from revealing any of his peaked curiosity. Gesturing to the first door down the hall by the lobby, he bent to the intercom to call for another intern to cover for him. "Take her inside and put her on the bed."

Straightening to follow after he'd made arrangements, it was then that Hatori noticed the two other people who had entered the lobby. Their presence made him sigh inwardly, his curiosity dropping dramatically as he conceived what could have happened. Whenever it had something to do with Kagome Higurashi or Inuyasha Takahashi, people other than themselves were bound to get hurt. He absolved Kagome of any blame, but the hanyou was another matter entirely. Hadn't it been barely two days ago that Sango had brought Kagome in after Inuyasha's little welcome-back fight with Koga? Now it was Sango's turn on the examination table, and Miroku, who—of the two males, had the injured arm—had to be the one to carry her in.

"You'll have to wait for another intern to see to you if you're hurt, Inuyasha," Hatori said evenly. "I'm more likely to harm rather than heal you after all the trouble you've caused."

"Fuck you, Hatori," Inuyasha growled, though to Kagome's ears his response was less aggressive and more sheepish and ashamed than anything else. Confirming her suspicion was the fact that he was kicking the floor awkwardly, claws shoved deep into his pockets like a child in the middle of a parent's reprimand.

"Are you all right, Miss Kagome?" Hatori inquired, already giving her a completely professional visual inspection from where he stood.

"I'm fine," Kagome beamed, her face coming alive with warmth. "Just a little bit shaken, Hatori-sempai."

The first time she had met him had been the day before yesterday, and in her state of shock and distress she had clung to him like a babe to its mother. It hadn't surprised her that he was at the top of his pre-med class—he was exactly her idea of a doctor. He didn't say much, didn't express much emotion, but there was something steadfast and assuring about him, and she had instantly felt that she was in excellent hands the moment he had placed his hand on her forehead.

"You'd best sit down then," Hatori instructed, as though "I'm fine" meant the exact opposite of what it meant. "Drink something hot—preferably tea or hot chocolate, if you prefer. It's best if you get some food in you as well, not heavy, but not—" and his tone conveyed extreme disapproval—"what girls refer to as 'diet.' Sango will be here for a while yet, I think. I don't believe it's serious, but she should be allowed a few hours rest and I'd like to examine her when she wakes up." His eyes turned to the hanyou, who jumped and glared when he was addressed. "Do you think you can see to it, Inuyasha?"

"I'm not an idiot, you know," Inuyasha snapped. "But it's not like any of this is my fault, so why should I do anything you say?"

"Was I implying that it was?" Hatori asked, brows lifting. "And if I were, what would you expect me to think? Unless you can give me a different answer as to why you're here, I'll assume it's because you feel responsible for some of what took place. Or are you merely concerned about Sango?"

Inuyasha's mouth opened, worked furiously amidst various sounds of indignation for about ten seconds, then snapped shut abruptly. Crossing his arms he turned his nose up into the air in a move that made the word "prima donna" flash brightly through Kagome's mind.

"I came because _somebody_ had to carry that wolf," Inuyasha explained contemptuously, shooting Kagome a dark look, nose still tilted into the air. "As he's the one to blame for the whole incident with Sango, you can question _Kagome's_ sense of morality. Seems friends come second to love interests nowadays."

Kagome colored vividly at his insinuations but resisted the urge to dignify them with violent retribution.

"Excuse me, but I think Hatori-sempai would understand completely my insistence that we bring Koga here! He could be seriously hurt!"

"Weren't you listening to what he said to me? If I had anything to do with hurting Sango he'd shove arsenic down my throat instead of putting antiseptic on my wounds! What do you think he'd do for Koga?" He gave Hatori a threatening glance, as though daring him to treat Koga any differently. "And Koga's a _demon_, Kagome, a rock to the head won't do much harm! Not like there's anything in there to harm in the first place..."

"If you did bring Koga here to be treated," Hatori cut in smoothly before Kagome had a chance to let another explosive retort fly, "where is he?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "In the boot. Hell if I have to carry him around much more."

Instantly Kagome's hand was knotted in Inuyasha's silvery hair and she yanked with a force that made even Hatori flinch.

**_"Bitch!"_**

_"You jerk! What do you mean 'the boot'!"_

"I take it you didn't know where he'd put Koga," Hatori murmured as Inuyasha struggled to pry Kagome's hand off, inwardly smiling at the hanyou's remarkable display of restraint. It would be inconceivable to believe that Kagome—impressive as she could be—would be able to overcome Inuyasha physically, yet here the hanyou was, cowed by her because he didn't want to hold her painfully and simply break her grip.

_"Of course not!"_ Kagome screeched at him, and Hatori berated himself for making it sound like she did. _"I was riding with Miroku and Sango!"_

**_"Kagome,"_** Inuyasha ground out, taking a deep breath and standing dangerously still with his head tilted in Kagome's direction, "_let go of me **now.**"_

_"Only if you go out there and bring Koga in here!"_ Kagome insisted stubbornly, tightening her grip resolutely.

"Miss Kagome—" Hatori began cautiously, noting how Inuyasha's shoulders jerked violently at her statement.

_**"**LET GO **NOW!**"_

_**"NO!"**_

Hatori had barely taken four steps to break them up when he heard a sharp gasp and light danced over Inuyasha's silver hair as it swished over his shoulder. Kagome's hand, still curled into a fist, held several glimmering strands, her wrist held high above her head by the powerful hanyou. Inuyasha's head was bowed, his hair concealing his face, though Hatori had a vague idea of what he would see with the bangs out of the way.

"Let go of her, Inuyasha," Hatori said sternly, his heart beating with apprehension as Kagome struggled to free herself to no avail.

Kagome couldn't scream. Somewhere between the minute his claw had locked onto her wrist a second time and she'd felt pain shoot up her arm, her voice had left. She could feel her bones crunching under his strength and she wouldn't be surprised to hear the sound of snapping were it not for the blood pounding in her ears. She felt utterly lost and disoriented, caught up in the terror and disbelief of the moment. Inuyasha's violence would never have been something to surprise her, moreover floor her, but since the last moment they'd had together it seemed inconceivable for him to harm her. True, it was hard to tell _why_ he did things, but it didn't seem plausible for him to harm a girl he was trying to woo, not after he'd managed to...well...warm things up. Then again it wasn't occasional for the said girl to try and tear a guy's hair out after he'd cuddled her and...well...

"Let go of her, Inuyasha," Hatori repeated, taking a step towards the frozen pair, wondering if _he'd_ end up on an examination table all too shortly. _Well at least I'll skip the step of having to be carried over here in Inuyasha's trunk..._

Inuyasha's head lifted slowly, and he shook his hair out of his face, displaying an expression that chilled Hatori more than any growl would have. Two rows of gleaming white teeth flashed in the light, Inuyasha's firm lips lifting to showcase them in a grin that boded ill for all of them. He turned towards Kagome with the very expression, releasing her and stepping back.

"I'll go fetch your precious wolf, Kagome," he said evenly, though his eyes were swirling with darkness as he said it. "Don't you worry, I won't harm him."

The first thing she did was clutch her throbbing wrist. The second was to open her mouth. The third was to simply stand there, staring at him. His eyes flicked over to her hands and he turned away from her abruptly, striding towards the doors. In a heartbeat Hatori was next to her, pulling her hand from the shell her other hand had created and handling it gently.

"You'll bruise," he informed her shortly, sighing when she flinched as he moved her wrist in a particular direction. "And it'll swell. It's not quite a sprain, but even table tennis will be hell if you try it within the next week or so. I'll bind it, just in case."

Kagome just stood there numbly, allowing herself to be led away.

Outside, the brilliant blue sky mocked him.

Inuyasha glared up at it, angrier than he'd imagined he could be after what had taken place not half an hour ago. His worst rival had been injured, his best friend had a chance with the girl he'd adored and been obsessed with for almost a lifetime (twisted opportunity though it was), and the girl _he'd_ been obsessed with for over six years had apparently found her niche in his arms. Then in one blindingly stupid minute he'd not only hurt her, he'd given Koga an opening with a probable, "Oh, don't you feel sorry for me, Kagome?" line.

His fangs snapped painfully against each other as he bit back the urge to howl and curse.

Trust Koga to find a way to worm into her affections while he was unconscious.

Envy ate at him as he thought of Miroku and Sango, how he would be there to brush her bangs back from her face as she woke. She would undoubtedly adore him the moment she opened her eyes and saw him there, and Inuyasha's palms bled as he clenched his fists, envisioning how things could have been with Kagome right at that moment. At least Miroku and Sango had gained something from this fiasco, and hadn't lost it through their own actions.

Which—Inuyasha was forced to admit—was exactly the case with him. As typical and as gratifying as it would be to blame it all on Koga, it had been his sparkling idea to stick the wolf in the trunk. Not only that, but the moronism had furthered itself with him letting Kagome know that he'd done it. If he'd just kept his mouth shut, he'd have had the chance to play magnanimous hero. Though it galled him to carry Koga around like he was someone from 911 it didn't have any weight against the fact that it would make Kagome virtually worship him, and probably by that very night he'd have wined and dined her and gotten a good long make-out session. It was the last part of the lost possibility that made him almost forget about using his key and just tearing the trunk open. But he wasn't as stupid as to let his temper get the better of him five minutes after it had made him lose a chance to gain something extremely important, and with deliberate slowness he opened the trunk and gingerly lifted Koga out. Dragging him by a foot or arm was infinitely more appealing, but that would only make Kagome fall to her knees and fret over him infuriatingly. Then he'd only damn himself further by planting a foot in Koga's bleeding head.

Which was bleeding all over his shoulder.

**_Goddamn it!_**

Probably the worst part of it all was the look in Kagome's eyes as he'd held her with her wrist high above her head. Her pupils were so large that her widened eyes were almost black, and her expression was something just past deer-in-the-headlights. It was one thing for her to hate his guts—another thing completely for her to look at him like he was a monster.

He **_felt_** like a monster.

Hatori was waiting for him in the reception area when he walked back in. Even in his current self-punishment state Inuyasha flinched at the prospect of a lecture from someone who saw too much too well, and consequently hit too many marks for his comfort. No doubt he had already gone over his crushing speech twice, and Inuyasha did the only honorable thing he knew he could do at the moment—stand there without any internal bracing and wait for his punishment.

Predictably, Hatori let him agonize over it and wait. Or perhaps he was just being a good intern as he took a good look at Koga's wound and sighed heavily. Without a word he motioned for Inuyasha to follow him and without waiting or checking to see if he was, led him to one of the available rooms. Despite himself, Inuyasha's head wheeled around as he failed to pick up Kagome's scent over all the disinfectant, trying to see if any door was left ajar or open.

"Carefully," Hatori added unnecessarily as Inuyasha set Koga down on the examination table. His dark eyes noted the blood on Inuyasha's shirt and silently admired the hanyou for not whining about it. In fact, as idiotically as he'd behaved moments before, there was much to admire in Inuyasha's repentant stance, and the way he seemed to _beg_ for punishment. Hatori knew that unkindness was a kind way to make the hanyou feel better, to let him let go of his guilt because he was paying for his actions, but he knew that it was also short-term and it did _not_ fix anything or make the pain truly go away. Because he was in the business of fixing people and making pain go away, he went against his better judgment and let go of the stinging tirade he'd thought up as he'd gotten Kagome settled in the next room.

Inuyasha kept his eyes fixed on the floor as Hatori observed him without comment, wondering if the intern was thinking to draw out the punishment or merely trying to find the best way to deliver it.

"Are you sorry?"

The brisk, abrupt line wasn't at all what he'd been expecting. His head shot up and golden eyes widened at the solemn look on Hatori's face. Was he letting him off just like that? Was Hatori's benevolent streak _that_ strong?

"Are you sorry?" the intern repeated calmly, the epitome of patience as though there were no injured patients in two rooms with head injuries awaiting his care.

"I..."

Kagome's frightened face flashed in his mind.

Mowing down his pride, Inuyasha swallowed so he could answer clearly. "Yes."

Hatori nodded, though even that gave none of his feelings away. He moved towards the tray where instruments and other necessities lay ready to be used, back already turned to him.

"Koga's wound is somewhat serious—in any event much more serious than Sango's. It won't take longer than ten minutes before I see to Sango, but even after I've examined her I'll have to check on Koga. Do you know how to bind a sprain?"

He was wrong.

Hatori was the cruelest man alive.

"Don't," Inuyasha warned, and it didn't surprise him nor shame him any further that his voice shook slightly.

Turning his head to look back at him, Hatori gave him a level look. "Just do it, Inuyasha," he instructed evenly. "She's in the next room to the left and it's best to do it before it starts to swell. After you've bound it, put an ice pack on it—you'll find one in the mini fridge."

And just like that Hatori shut him out completely so that it was just him and Koga's wound. Inuyasha didn't even have time to ponder the consequences of refusing and throwing another harmful fit. If Kagome's wrist swelled before it was bound he'd only be furthering his crime against her. Besides, wasn't he in the mood for punishment? Hatori was an expert at it, apparently, and he'd found a way to dispense it and save himself time, work, and breath.

His feet were feeling like the proverbial lead as he exited and moved to the next room. Pushing a shaking hand through his hair, he twisted the knob with the other and pushed it open, bracing himself for Kagome's hysterics and flying objects as soon as she caught sight of him. He pushed down his demonic—and even human instincts—and resigned himself to the fact that he was _not_ going to duck.

Which was why he looked like a complete fool, standing in the doorway with his eyes closed and hand in his hair as he waited for a tray or stethoscope to hit him in the face.

Kagome sat on the examination table, cradling her wrist and staring at him as he stood there, seeing the twisting pain in her chest mirrored in his eyes as he opened them and looked at her. His hand fell away from his hair and it shielded his face as he tipped it down, breaking eye contact effectively. Her breath caught as he moved into the room and shut the door, an ominous click filling the air. Instinctively, she scooted backwards.

Inuyasha didn't approach her as immediately as she thought he would. He took a moment to pick up a roll of bandages from the material tray before he turned back towards her, face still half-hidden by his hair. As he approached he began to speak, and it was what he said then that stopped her from cowering against the wall.

Strangely, no word was a threat.

"I'm sorry for your wrist," he said softly, stopping at the edge of the examination table. "You can believe it or not and I understand you if you can't. If you want to, you can kick and scream and throw anything you want at me. You can even pull my hair, if you still want to do that. But I'm going to have to bind that wrist, so I'll have to get a little closer and I'll have to touch you. If you can bear with that for five minutes, you can do whatever you want to me after that."

He didn't even squeak when her heel crashed into his forehead. He'd expected _that_ earlier on. What he _hadn't_ expected was for her to yell what she was yelling at him, nor for her to be crying while she was at it.

_"You **jerk**, what do you take me for! You couldn't have stopped at the 'sorry', now **could you**! You just had to launch into the rest of your little guilt trip and make **me** feel like the complete meanie by offering me a chance to hurt you!"_ From where he sat on the floor, tiny trickle of blood running over his vision, Inuyasha saw that she was standing now, stamping her foot once in apparent frustration as she wiped her eyes furiously. **_"You're such an idiot!"_**

Inuyasha could only stare at her as she stood crying, completely bewildered and at sea as to what to do. His forehead was stinging, pulsing with a promise of a headache from hell in the near future, but his focus was completely on the mystifying creature before him, who seemed to be crying from exasperation with him, though that opinion was altered slightly as she stamped her foot again and gave a warbled sob as she sniffled over her hand.

"It _hurts_," she whispered, and in an instant he was on his feet, taking her hand gently from her and holding it at an angle while his free hand shook out the bandage.

"Leave it to me," he whispered back reassuringly, stepping back so he could extend her arm and hand properly, trying to ignore the little huffs of breath she took as he did so.

"Why are _you_ doing this anyway?" Kagome asked resentfully, not caring to thank him as the pain subsided upon his first tightening tug.

"Because I'm responsible for it," Inuyasha answered almost inaudibly, not looking at her. "And Hatori wanted to rub it in."

"Shouldn't you be proud?" she prodded waspishly, and when he paused and looked up at her she gave him a ferocious glare, daring him to take it out on her already vulnerable wrist. For a moment it looked almost as though he would.

"Surprisingly, I'm not," he owned humorlessly, glaring right back at her before he turned his eyes back to his work. "For some reason, making you cry makes me sick. Right now, I'm not sure if I'm feeling remorse or it's the sight of you that I disgust."

"Well that's a fine thing to say!" Kagome snapped, her palm itching to connect with his cheek. "First you hurt me, then you insult me! You sure that isn't disgust with yourself for picking on a girl?"

He paused again, but didn't look up at her. The anger in his expression was fading, but it remained fierce somehow as he gently pulled the bandages tight a second time.

"Not disgust with myself for picking on _a_ girl, Kagome," he said somberly, his thumb smoothing over the bandages over her pulse. "Disgust with myself for picking on _you._ And doesn't insulting you qualify as hurting you, too?" He lifted his eyes to hers and she felt her breath hitch at the grim humor in them.

She sniffed despite the heat she felt entering her cheeks.

"Don't flatter yourself," she groused. "As if any of your insults really matter to me. They're just annoying."

"So are you," Inuyasha snorted, and she felt the heaviness lifting as he continued, despite his words. "But do you think that means that you don't matter to me?"

_Words, Kagome_, she chanted in her head as his thumb danced over her pulse at every interval as he wound the bandages over her wrist. Her glare seemed to be enough of an answer, and he shook his head resignedly—which made her even more peevish, because he very much resembled a professor who had given up explaining a mind-numbingly simple issue to a consistently uncomprehending student.

"Where's Koga?" she asked tersely as Inuyasha pulled the bandages tight a final time and began to knot.

"Hatori's seeing to him right now," he answered tonelessly, not looking at her as he finished and gently began testing her hand. The intensifying pain had been stemmed somewhat, and only a dull throbbing remained due to the taut bandages, though Kagome's expression of gratitude was cut short when Inuyasha raised his eyes and she saw the thinly-veiled scorn in them as he added, "Let me just get an ice pack and you can go coo over him right now."

"What is your _problem?"_ Kagome fairly shrieked, temper far beyond its boiling point as Inuyasha simply turned his back on her and walked over to the mini-fridge to rummage. _"I understand that you and Koga hate each other, but why are you so angry with **me?** Is it **wrong** to be concerned about someone who's hurt?"_

"It's _wrong_," Inuyasha hissed, slamming the fridge shut with a force that tipped it precariously to one side, "to be concerned about people who got injured for injuring other people! Or have you forgotten about _Sango?"_

_"How **dare** you!"_

"How dare I tell you the truth?" He reached for her hand but she backed away from him so that he sighed heavily and put his hands on his hips. She looked so angry and affronted he felt like thrice the mega-jerk he was for taunting her when she'd had such a day, but he was being honest, wasn't he? In part, at least. It would never do to let her know the other reason why her concern for Koga bothered him. He'd simply have to emphasize on the safer one. Forcing his expression to relax and his stance to loosen, he proceeded more cautiously. "How else am I supposed to see things, Kagome? The guy goes ballistic for reasons only known to him and harms Sango in the process. She's a girl we all care about—_your_ best friend and the girl my best friend...well..."

Her expression was still tense, but the anger was dissipating from it and from her scent—that much he could tell. She was still hurt and was very likely to snap back into her ire the minute he said something even remotely abrasive, but if he handled things rightly she'd defuse by the second he finished speaking.

_Sorry, Miroku. She probably knows it anyway, so confirming it won't change much..._

With this in mind, he firmly pushed the image of a betrayed Miroku to the back of his mind, figurative earplugs lodging themselves in place to block out ringing cries of, "_Why_ did you betray my confidence, Inuyasha!"

"He really cares about her, all right?" he continued safely, not brave enough to mention the L-word lest Kagome rejoice and let slip to Sango, which would result in it reaching Miroku, who would then turn his wrath upon none other than Inuyasha. "I think Koga deserved what he got. Believe me, Kagome, if Miroku were a demon he'd have done much worse."

"But Koga did that and got hurt because of _me_," Kagome persisted, visibly tormented by the idea. "He was rushing over so carelessly because of _me._"

"No, he was rushing over moronically because _I _was with you. Kagome, you have to concede that it's no one's fault but his own. If he weren't so fucking suspicious none of this would've happened."

"Oh, and you'd be so calm if your roles were switched?"

He shrugged indifferently. "Would he be able to do anything that would worry me? I don't think you'd allow him, Kagome."

_And I'd allow **you?**_ Kagome swallowed the brambly retort to that particularly conceited statement and focused on the direct cause of her sprained wrist.

"Why in _Kami's_ name did you lock him in the trunk?"

Inuyasha paused and considered the question.

"Firstly..."

_He barged in on us at the worst possible time._

"...he hurt Sango."

_And because I can't stand the fact that you could care about him after that. _

"After that he didn't merit my backseat."

Kagome stared at him silently, trying to digest that his abysmal treatment of Koga was on Sango's behalf. As much as he justified his concern for her, his reason just didn't hold much weight in Kagome's eyes. She was far more likely to believe that Inuyasha's actions were out of pure hate for Koga, and it was this that had hardened her resolve to see Koga properly cared for. Standing idly by while someone who held so much malevolence for a person decided to take advantage of that person's injury was by all standards simply _not right._

But if Inuyasha said so...who was she to dispute what was in his heart and mind? Wasn't overanalyzing Inuyasha the root of all her confusion and problems? Kurenai's advice echoed in her mind and she sighed deeply.

"It was still a terrible thing to do," she insisted stubbornly, eyes devoid of anger but assuredly grim. Then in a simultaneous plea for help and gesture of pardon, she extended her bandaged hand to him. "But if you're sorry for it now, I won't say anything more."

_I'm only sorry because it affects you._

Choosing not to reply, Inuyasha took her hand and positioned the ice pack over it, reaching for her other hand and putting it in place.

"Hold it like this, all right?" he instructed, his lip twisting as he considered the use of a cast. A tentative look at Kagome eliminated all possibility of that—her expression told him she'd read his mind and was strongly against what was in it.

A beat of silence fell awkwardly between them and Kagome felt a strange sensation jangling the nerves in her stomach as the warmth of Inuyasha's hand clashed violently with the chilling bite of the ice pack. Staring at the way his hand still supported her sprained one while the other held her other hand in place over the ice pack...it sent an even odder feeling spiraling through her chest.

"Thank you," she murmured, an oddly soft note in her voice.

"That was unexpected," he teased, burnished eyes sparking.

"Couldn't you just say something ordinary?" she complained even as her eyes began to smile. "Like 'you're welcome'?"

"Well you aren't," Inuyasha snorted, removing his hands and stepping back.

Now _that_ was unexpected.

"I'm not?" Kagome blinked, the pain that his words effected surprising her more than anything.

Inuyasha grinned. "Well I'm not exactly sure what you're thanking me for. For all I know, it's for being your constant emotional punching bag. Whenever you're pissed with something, Kagome, you take it out on me. You said it yourself, right? You think Koga's hurt because of you, and it sets you on the edge. Then I act conveniently stupid and you give me punishment that isn't proportioned to my crime. Haven't I said this before?"

Her mind flashed back to the day he'd ripped the street into two after she'd said something terrible to him for no justifiable reason. She'd come out unharmed, though much more initially shaken than she was now. He'd pointed it out, all right. And she'd been just as unable to wave it off sufficiently or prove it untrue.

"You have," she agreed quietly—sincerely. "And I'm sorry if I do. You don't exactly make it easy to feel guilty, but you're right. Not _everything_ is your fault."

"Gee, thanks." Notwithstanding the fact that she'd insulted him twice throughout her apology, Inuyasha had a very good feeling about where things were heading. "Now that you've conceded that I am also an injured party, I have every right to claim recompense."

Her brow popped up wryly. "Oh really? Such as?"

"Well, I have to see. What exactly can you do, Kagome? Do you have any talent?" His eyes skimmed over her body and he winked at her suggestively as one of his claws brushed over her lips.

Her other brow popped up before her eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips in a decidedly shrewish manner. The way the warmth of her eyes blazed into scorching flame warned him that she was about to take back her heartfelt apology, so before she could say something that would hurt both of them, he forestalled her by smirking and wrinkling his nose at her.

"I already know the answer—it'd be a rip off if I demanded _that_ sort of apology from _you_," he condescended derisively. "You'd probably give me frostbite with that mouth of yours."

"Not that it would help with all the problems you must have in _that_ area," she quipped, gravely offended by the implication that she was frigid, though unwilling to snap over it.

_"Temper,"_ he remarked with a laugh. "Forget what I said about frost, you'd just _bite._"

She flushed hotly and glowered warningly at him, delighting him even more. But he didn't miss what this meant in terms of Kagome's body language. She'd just about had it with him, and even the most gentle prod would send her over the edge and lodge her feelings for him back into enemy territory. Toeing the line at this point was important. It was fun to banter and bicker with her, but he wasn't in the position to do it constantly without driving her away. Not yet, at least. He was going to change that, of course, but for him to do it he needed to be careful with her right now.

"That mouth isn't half bad when it comes to spouting lines, though," he mollified pensively, relieved to see the anger in her face dim a bit, though she blushed even more fiercely than before.

_So she's complimented...keep going, Inuyasha, keep going..._

"That's why you're going to need it when you make things up to me," he announced with a grin, finding her absolutely adorable when her brow crinkled up and she frowned at him uncomprehendingly.

"You want me to read you poetry?" she asked in disbelief.

"No, you silly girl," he chortled, "I want you to be my rehearsing buddy. We're both probably going to be in the play, so we might as well practice together."

"Is it really necessary?" she continued to question dubiously, her lack of enthusiasm for the idea stinging despite the fact that he had expected it. "I mean, you have Kurama, don't you? He was part of your audition. And Eri will want to work with me, I'm sure."

"Kurama's busy with his own thing—the audition was just a favor. And about Eri, so what? You can't tell me you honestly want to work with her."

Kagome swatted his arm on impulse, wincing because she used her sprained one. Scowling at him on behalf of it—and her friend—she didn't appreciate the fact that he seemed to see right through her.

"You're not comfortable around her," he prodded evenly. "Admit it."

"That has absolutely nothing to do with my decision to work with her," Kagome defended a little desperately. "I owe her a lot for helping me get into the play, and it's only fair that I get over myself and do what's best for the sake of the production."

"Can you really work and give a hundred percent when you're so repressed, Kagome?"

She bristled, not liking the immediate response that came to mind at that question.

"What do _you_ know, Inuyasha? The point is, I _owe_ her and I'm obliged to pay her back. If she wants to work with me throughout this production, it's the least I can do to cooperate."

He shrugged and looked away, not pressing the issue further. Perhaps it was the fact that Inuyasha had actually made a concession that floored her and made a strange uneasiness trickle down her spine—or the small smile on his mouth that told her there was something extremely important that he knew that she did not.

---

"Why are you always foisting me off onto Hatori!" Akito demanded, nails digging into her arm viciously as he yanked Kurenai back into her car. They had been in the middle of having a pleasant excursion through the museum's modern art display and he had been commenting on how a particular painting had reminded him of her. He'd been so caught up in expressing his feelings over the piece that he'd strained himself and needed to sit down and be taken care of. Instead of doing it herself, the ungrateful bitch had insisted they visit Hatori.

Gritting her teeth as her elbow banged against the steering wheel, Kurenai counted to ten. She had been doomed to something like this the instant Akito had laid eyes on her inside the theater earlier on, and to an extent he was right—she _was_ foisting him off onto Hatori because she'd had just about enough of him.

_One._

He hadn't wanted to show her a few pieces of art. He'd wanted to show her one—a ten-foot by fifteen canvas spread of a woman's eviscerated body, the contents of which were strewn out in an intensely shaded puddle before her. Cradled amidst her intestines and other innards was a barely developed baby, upon whose head one of her clawed hands rested. Her other arm was spread out to the side, her face turned away from the viewers and her matted dark hair covering most of it.

_Two._

He'd leered at her and prodded her about the similarities between the woman's body and her own. He'd spoken of twisted conceptions and how most mothers would probably have done the same thing the woman in the painting had apparently done—clawed out her own innards and removed the offending child that she nonetheless claimed as her own.

_Three._

A dangerous part of Kurenai's being had loomed up at what he'd meant, and Akito—or his body at least—had sensed it in time to pull an emergency defensive maneuver. He knew her well enough to know that if he weakened she would never hurt him, and the instant she was about to snap he'd suddenly collapsed. His fever certainly wasn't an act or something to joke about, but what the mind believed the body sanctioned, right?

_Four._

So she'd fussed over him, but from the way he moaned about her constantly hurting him it was apparent that she wasn't doing a good job. That's when the idea to take him to Hatori—who was probably on shift by now—had popped up.

_Five._

He didn't take it very well.

_Six._

_"Why don't **you** take care of me!" he'd screamed, shoving her violently as she'd knelt beside him and tried to help him up. "**You** made me like this!"_

_Seven._

And he'd continued screaming at her as she'd dragged him bodily to her car, knotting the seatbelt furiously so that he'd be unable to get loose.

_Eight._

Now Hatori was only a matter of meters away, but even he would be unable to restrain Akito when he was in this sort of mood. She needed to calm him down, needed to make him see that she would only harm them both if she stayed with him any longer. To do that _she_ needed to calm down, needed to pull her intellect and dignity together.

_Nine._

"Answer me! Look at me, you worthless whore!"

_Ten._

Kurenai's hand moved to gently but firmly pry Akito's talons off of her pulsing arm. Taking a deep breath and not forcing him when he resisted, she looked straight into his livid countenance and wiped the answering anger from her face.

"Precisely because I'm worthless to you, Akito," she answered calmly, relief spreading through her chest at the way surprise registered on his face at her response. Adding the tiniest bit of force, she maneuvered her thumb between his palm and her arm and continued trying to wrest herself free as she added, "I can do no more than harm you, whereas Hatori can help you."

"_You_ can help me," he hissed resentfully, tightening his grip and crushing her thumb into her arm as he leaned towards her. His free hand moved and he jerked the seatbelt over his head and torso so he could lean towards her. "You just don't want to."

"Akito—"

"Shut up!"

She did. There was no time for words as she barely refrained from breaking his fingers as she pulled free. Whirling so that she could step backwards out of the car, she grabbed him in turn and pulled hard, heedless of whether or not he bumped into anything as she yanked him out. He was screaming at her again—painful, colorful expletives, if you bothered to listen, but she no longer cared. Inhuman rage was taking over, and possibly the only part that was still Akito's cousin kept her from forgetting why she was doing this. She was going to get Akito into Hatori's care if she had to send him into intensive care to do it.

Hearing the commotion outside, Hatori's substitute came out and sighed long-sufferingly. It was true that they had fewer patients today than most, but each of the ones coming in were easily as much trouble as ten.

---

Kagome shot Inuyasha a speculative glance as he finished tying the ice pack in place with a spare bandage. It was still advisable to use a cast, but she wasn't about to imprison herself over something that Hatori had termed as "almost a sprain." If it wasn't quite a certain condition, then it didn't entail that condition's full treatment.

It was clear from Inuyasha's expression that he disagreed with her, but for some alarming reason he had taken up the habit of _not_ openly stating his qualms. Kagome was fairly tempted to see how far he would carry on, and briefly considered refusing to eat and seeing if he would force her. Unfortunately for that, her stomach was growling quite loudly, resulting in Inuyasha's ears twitching in a fascinating manner before he looked up at her and grinned, grumpy features dissolving into teasing handsomeness.

"Let's see to that stomach, shall we?" he offered, checking his watch. "It's not yet rush hour, so most of the good places may still be free. What are you in the mood for?"

"That's a question the cafeteria staff will answer," she replied, grinning back. "If they're in the mood to feed us dog food my mood won't matter much, will it?" Catching the way his brow twitched she added hastily, "Not that dogs eat bad food..."

"Who said anything about eating at the cafeteria?" he asked snippily, ignoring her barb at canine nutrition. "I'm in the mood to celebrate our acceptance into the play, aren't you? Personally, I want Italian, but if you want Chinese, whatever. My treat."

She couldn't help it.

She hooted at him.

"Aren't _you_ charming?" she snickered, unable to control herself at his awkward gallantry.

"Be grateful!" he snapped, though not as sharply as usual. Turning his nose up and away in a remarkable likeness of Sesshomaru he huffed and used his long legs to move quickly away from her.

Not minding at all, she kept her pace and smiled after him, grinning broadly when he stopped and shot her an irritated look, though he _did_ keep waiting for her. Upon reaching him, she opened her mouth to comment on it when she noticed that his irritation wasn't directed at her anymore.

For rubbing her arm and leaning against the wall was none other than Kurenai.

Kagome remembered that Inuyasha hadn't spoken of Kurenai in a good light earlier on, and it was clear from his malevolent growl that whatever it was between them, it hadn't changed since then. The object of his irascibility turned at the sound, her visage grimmer than the last time Kagome had seen it. Merely quirking a provoking brow at him, she moved her gaze immediately to Kagome, her warm smile freezing the instant she saw the hand that Kagome made the mistake of using to wave.

_Oh dear_, Kagome cringed, hiding her hand immediately behind her back as Kurenai straightened and without a word walked over to her.

"Move, hanyou," she warned as Inuyasha stepped between them automatically.

"Make me," was Inuyasha's typical response. "Though before you do, why not consider moving yourself? Kagome and I were about to go have lunch."

If Kurenai was surprised, she didn't show it. Instead, she sighed in a long-suffering kind of way and rolled her eyes.

"All the more reason for you to start the car and bring it up front, don't you think?" she reasoned patronizingly. "So that Kagome dear—whose injury looks _quite_ recent—doesn't have to walk?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, but to Kagome's surprise he merely shrugged it off with a faint, "Keh" and walked out the door. It was puzzling to the extreme the talent that the Sohmas seemed to have with handling Inuyasha. First Hatori and now Kurenai. Maybe it had something to do with the grave, veteran-like mien that she and Hatori exuded.

"So much for a plan, huh," Kurenai observed dryly, though her eyes remained gentle.

Kagome grimaced and shrugged. "Treating Inuyasha professionally and impartially is so much harder than I thought. I don't think I have what it takes to hold him at arm's length."

Kurenai nodded understandingly. "He doesn't seem like the type to allow it. Not with you, anyway. Somehow...I feel that if he really cares for you, distancing yourself from him will only make him try harder to pull you close." When Kagome didn't stir, her cat-like eyes tapered into slits and she prodded at the younger girl's cheek playfully. "Of course, if that's what you want..."

"Oh, stop it!" Heat bloomed from where Kurenai had prodded and Kagome stared daggers at her as the older girl began giggling.

"Well how am _I_ to know?" Kurenai reasoned, still smirking. "Besides, you've conceded that you can't hold your emotions—positive or negative—" she sniggered wickedly—"in check very much when you're in direct contact with him."

"That _doesn't_ mean that by expressing my emotions I'll be expressing something like l-l—" She stumbled over the word and glared ominously when Kurenai's laughter rang through the halls.

"Oh, Kagome, go on," Kurenai guffawed, waving her hand infuriatingly. Her head turned to look over her shoulder and she grinned at Inuyasha through the glass doors as he beeped to let them know he was there.

Deciding that staying and arguing out that annoying point with Kurenai would only succeed in bringing Inuyasha himself into the picture when he barged in after he got tired of waiting, Kagome swallowed the barrage of protests and with her uninjured hand pulled open a door. Shooting one last look at Kurenai, she stated firmly: "Dealing with a person with your real feelings in consideration doesn't mean anything except honesty."

Kurenai merely winked and smiled.

---

Miroku sat in tense silence as Hatori re-examined Sango upon his request. Despite the intern's conclusion that the she did not have any concussion, and would only suffer from a minor headache and a lump for a few days, Miroku's heart seemed unwilling to halt in its race. His mind was frozen on the moment that Koga had thrown her off and the sickening thud he'd heard the instant she'd connected with the ground.

His blood boiled anew and it was all he could do to remain seated. Koga was somewhere in the infirmary, of that much he was certain. Hatori would not have been delayed if he hadn't seen to someone else before moving on to Sango. Quashing the murderous thoughts that sprung up at the prioritization of the very root of Sango's suffering, Miroku reminded himself that as a student of medicine, Hatori was obligated to tend to the more gravely afflicted.

_Must._

Sango moaned as Hatori lifted her head carefully off the pillow.

_See._

Sweat was beading on her brow.

_Reason._

When she flinched as though struck, Miroku actually got to his feet. Hatori gave him a cautionary look before turning back to his examination, making Miroku grind his teeth in aggravation. How long was this going to take?

"She'll be fine," Hatori repeated quietly, laying her head back down and stepping back, turning to Miroku. "Just a minor headache and a bump that will recede in a day or two. She'll feel a bit dizzy when she wakes up. If she does and I'm not here, make sure she lies down for a while. I'll arrange for someone to get some soup over here later—I expect she'll come to in half an hour or so. She shouldn't take any immediately—help her sit up a bit and gain some bearing before that. Then when she's sure she's steady, she can get up. Though I insist that she be taken home right after."

Miroku listened attentively, nodding every so often to indicate he'd understood. When Hatori had finished and began putting away some instruments, despite the other man's presence Miroku let himself go.

Eager fingers traced over Sango's worried brow, smoothing it and smoothing away the bangs that covered it. It had been something nearing a physical ache that he had been tamping down for what seemed like forever, the need to touch her. It had often been gratified in the times that he'd managed to cop a feel, and it wasn't merely the fact that he wasn't about to receive a punishing slap for his caresses that made them so feverish this time around.

The sensitive pads of his fingers skimmed over the smooth, clean skin, the sweet yet strong contours of her face. If she had been awake her eyes would be dropping dreamily, her lips parting to bathe those pads with warm, moist breath. It was both an image that he craved and dreaded—the fulfillment of it would be the deepest of his desires coming to fruition. But along with it...

Along with it came the sobering implications.

To have Sango, it meant becoming something in turn. For what he craved from her, she demanded a fee that he would not be able to pay. Even if he were willing to pay it, it was not in him to give.

So while she slept, he touched her with a tenderness that undermined all his lecherous fondling in the past. His hand traced the hollow of her throat, the curve of her arm, lingered at her elbow and finally found her hand. Squeezing it, trying to convey to her that he was there, he rested his cheek against it and closed his eyes, the heat of her hand and the steady beat of her pulse against his fingers achieving what Hatori's informed words could not.

The door clicked softly, indicating Hatori's departure of the room, but Miroku failed to notice.

In those moments, everything that was Miroku was centered on Sango's warmth, her pulse, and in time with it, the now steady beating of his heart.

**Further Author's Notes:** To my non-member reviewers!

_lexa22:_ Sorry if my gaps have been long as of late, school and other pressures are really weighing down on me and I can't seem to cope as well as I used to. I'm bearing up though, so that's still a good thing, and I'll do my best to update more often. Sorry again about the number of characters—I understand that it can be confusing! Lol! Feel free to zoom back every few chapters and refresh yourselves as to their identities, or feel free to ask me if you find certain aspects of them to be annoyingly difficult to grasp. Thank you so much for your review—it really means a lot! -smooch-

_fire:_ Glad to see you back, honey! -hug- Hope you liked this chapter, too, and if you didn't let me know! Thank you for reviewing! -smooch-

**To everyone else who's finished this chapter, if you've got an opinion on it, please do share it with me. All my readers are a reason to keep writing, all my reviewers have the power to inspire. I want to thank everyone who's been so supportive. Writing for you has been my therapy, and I want a reason other than myself to continue. If you liked it, let me know. If you didn't let me know why. Lol. **

**Seriously though...until next time. -hug-**


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